The Return of Thrax
by Draco6
Summary: The sequel to Osmosis Jones follows Thrax as he plots and executes his plan for revenge against The City of Frank. *Please Review!*
1. Emergence

**The Return of Thrax**

**Disclaimer: _All of the characters from Osmosis Jones (including Ozzie himself, Thrax, Leah, Drix, The Chief and Tom Clonic) are all copyrighted to the WB.  Any other characters (including Draco, the Strykers and unimportant germs) are copyrighted to me.  Now the moment you have all been waiting for, the first chapter of the riveting Osmosis Jones sequel!_**

**Chapter 1: Emergence**

                Inside a beaker of alcohol, sitting on top of a table in the ER a great and powerful evil is about to be reborn.  A single strand of DNA has been untouched by the acidic liquid and is now starting to replicate and grow.  A mass of black and red is beginning to form in the beaker, which would be unnoticed with out the aid of a microscope.  The mass is beginning to take shape.  First legs, arms and then a head are beginning to form.  A scream is heard from inside the liquid as a clawed hand breaks the surface.

                Then a second hand does the same as a dark figure is beginning to swim over to the side of the beaker.  The two clawed hands dig into the glass and a dark figure begins to emerge from the alcoholic prison.  The figure reaches over the side and falls onto the wooden table with a watery splat.  The figure stands up, shakes itself off and runs its claws through its purple dreadlocks.  

                The figure looks down at the flesh on its arms.  The flesh is fizzing and the figure cries out in pain as the bubbling skin sears itself back to normal.  The figure turns around to face the beaker and as it sees itself in the reflection of the glass, it smiles.

                "What a ride baby." It says coolly.  "Yeah baby, big daddy Thrax is back in town."

                Thrax turns around and pauses as he thinks back over what happened to him over the last hour.

                "Damn it Jones.  When find you, I am going to kill you painfully slow, that's a promise.  But first I believe that I have another promise to keep, just to show you that I'm in control baby." Thrax says with a sneer.

                Thrax surveys the room and spots Frank still lying down on the hospital gurney.  Thrax's eyes widen as he spots his new target.  His eyes land on the girl hovering over Frank, tears of joy streaming down her face.  The girl is none other than Frank's daughter, Shane.

                "Mmm baby.  I am so taking you down and adding you to my collection." Thrax says, holding up his glowing orange claw on his left hand.

                Thrax puts on his sunglasses, jumps off the table and glides effortlessly towards the oblivious Shane.  Moments later Thrax manages to land on the tip of Shane's nose.

                "Out of all the places on this body I manage to land on the nose."  Thrax says shaking his head and taking his sunglasses off.  Thrax enters Shane's body through the left nostril.

Left Nostril 3:30 PM

                "What's this?" A white blood cell says putting down the paper and glancing over at the radar on his snot gun.  "Hmm, this doesn't look like any dust that I've ever seen."  

The white blood cell sits in closer to the radar to try to get a better reading.  

"I think this thing's busted because it says that whatever is on the radar is located-"

"Right behind you." A voice says from behind.  

The cell has no time to respond because all he sees is a glowing orange light coming down on him.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

                "What was that?" Another white blood cell says from deeper into the nostril.  

The cell picks up the receiver of a radio and speaks into it. "Hey Jack, Jack are you there?"

No response.

Suddenly a clawed hand comes down on his face and he screams in terror.  Thrax snickers and moves on to the next snot gun to kill the next operator.  

The Liver 5:00 PM

                "That was a blast." Thrax said remembering the screams and the terrified looks on all of his victims faces.  Getting down to the liver from the nose was easy.  Thrax had taken all of the back routes and had hidden in the shadows when he saw cops or anyone else who might give him away.  He needed to remain in the shadows and stay a secret until the time was right to make his move.  First, he had to get some help if he was going to pull off this job.

                He was going to need a lot more help this time since he was invading a much healthier body so there was bound to be more cops to worry about and brain security would be at least double that of Frank's.  

                "Yeah baby, this time I'm going to break my record by taking down Frank's little girl and no cop is going to get in my way."

                Thrax made his way through the liver until he found a building where he heard many voices.  Thrax entered the building to find just what he was looking for.  It seemed that all of the black market sellers had set up here to try to make some extra profits with some of their highest paying customers.

"This will be a good place to get some information."  Thrax thought to himself.

Thrax walked up to one of the nearest vendors.  

"Yo Red!  Hey, yeah you.  C'mere.  I can give you a great deal on some nice and illegal weaponry."  The vendor said.

"Actually.  I was looking for some information." Thrax answered, putting his glowing claw under the vendor's neck.

"Okay Red, sure, sure, what information do you need." The vendor said looking down at Thrax's claw.

"I knew you'd cooperate.  I need some germs who want in on a big score and you're going to give then to me."

"I can't do that Red."  The vendor was sweating now.  "You're going to have to take that one up with the boss."

"Fine.  Only a minor setback.  Where is this boss of yours?" Thrax asked calmly.

"Look man, I don't know.  The boss goes where he likes.  Hell I don't even know that guy." 

"Wrong answer." Thrax said lowering his claw.  Thrax then grabbed the vendor by the shirt collar and slammed him against the wall with his right arm.  Thrax held his claw up in the air, pointing at the vendor's now terrified face.  

Thrax's eyes widened as he asked, "Now I'm only going to ask you one more time.  WHERE IS YOUR BOSS!?!"

All of the germs in the building have stopped what they were doing to watch this spectacle.  

"LOOK MAN I DON'T KNOW!  I TOLD YOU ALREADY THAT I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE IS!" The vendor screams.

"Then you are expendable." Thrax replied as he thrusted his clawed hand at the vendor's head. 

Suddenly a rather large germ grabbed Thrax's left wrist.  Thrax turned his head around, not letting go of the vendor's shirt collar.

"Yo.  What the hell do you think you're doing man?  Leave Vinnie alone." The large germ said.

"I'm just doing a little business baby.  This is none of you're concern."  Thrax replied as he lets go of Vinnie and punched the big germ out with his right arm.  Thrax then walked toward the unconscious germ and touched him with his claw.  The germ's body began to boil and then incinerated.  Everyone in the room is looking at Thrax with wide eyes.

Thrax turned around to face Vinnie once again.  He grins and says, "Now, back to business."

As Thrax is just about to reach out for Vinnie again the sound of hundreds of guns being raised and pointed at him is heard.

"Don't move!" A voice says.  "Turn around, slowly."

Thrax does as the voices says and turns around to face hundreds of angry underworld germs.

"That's right, now put your hands up."  The voice says.

Thrax also complies with this order and notices that the germ commanding him is wearing a brown trench coat and a hat that is pulled down so far that is casts a shadow on his face.  Just then, Thrax feels a change going on inside of him.  A new power is emerging and is beginning to flow through him.  Yes, he can feel it now.  Thrax begins to laugh in his usual, maniacal way.  At first it starts out as a chuckle but then grows into an uncontrollable outburst of laughter.

"What the hell are you laughing at?" The germ in the trench coat asks.

Thrax continues to laugh.

"I asked you a question! ANSWER ME!" The germ screams as he pulls back on the trigger a bit.

Thrax just laughs, now so more than ever.

"WHAT IS SO DAMN FUNNY!!!!!" He screams at the top of his lungs.

Thrax stops laughing and wipes his eyes with his claw.  "I'm just thinking about the terrified looks that are going to appear on your faces after I do this."

"Do what?" The germ asks.

"This, baby." Thrax answers as his body is engulfed in flames.

"HOLY SHIT!" The germ yelled. "FIRE!  SHOOT HIM DEAD YOU MORONS.  SHOOT HIM DEAD!"

The germs open fire on Thrax but before the shots hit him the fire around his body shoots out in all directions, destroying the oncoming barrage.  Thrax begins fire blasting the germs and burning them to ashes.  Thrax walks around the building, twirling his claw and singing "FIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRE, BOM, BOM, BOM, BOM, BOM, BOM, OW!"

After Thrax has burned everyone to a crisp, he walks over to the germ in the trench coat who is lying on the floor in shock.  Thrax's flames subside and he picks up the germ by the shirt collar.

"Now, I need to know where your boss is and you're going to tell me." Thrax says coldly.

The germ starts to shake.  "You can find our boss up at The Mole.  It's a nightclub that you'll find located on the back.  When you get there, ask for Draco."

"Yeah baby, that's what I wanted to hear."  Thrax lowers his left arm to the germs stomach area and extends his deadly claw.  Thrax then drives it into the germ's stomach.  The germ screams as blood gushes from his mouth.  His eyes go wide; he lets out a final whimper and dies.

Thrax drops the corpse to the floor and walks out of the flaming building with his sunglasses on and a wide grin across his face.


	2. New Alliances

**Chapter 2: New Alliances **

The Back 7:15 PM

                Thrax walked up to the entrance of The Mole and butted up to first place in line.

                "Hey man, you're going to have to wait in line like everyone else, starting at the back.  Now go." The door attendant said.

                "Make me."  Thrax said coolly running the claws on his right hand through his dreadlocks.

The door attendant answered Thrax's challenge by swinging a punch.  Thrax caught the punch, shook his head then broke the germ's hand with a loud snap.

                "OWWWWWWW!!!!  DAMN IT! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO BREAK MY FREAKIN HAND MAN!"  He yelled in pain.

                "I'll break more than just your hand if you don't let me in there."  Thrax said with a snicker.

                "All right man.  All right.  I'll let you in.  Just don't hurt me again. Okay?" The germ said.

                "Fair enough." Thrax replied as the big germ moved out of the way so Thrax could enter.

                The Mole was like your typical nightclub.  It had loud music, dancing, hot girls and a bar.  Thrax walked over to the bar and took an empty seat.  

                "I might as well get a drink while I'm here." Thrax thought.

                "What'll it be Mac."  The bartender said as he walked over to Thrax.

                "Insulin shot." Thrax replied waving his hand slightly.

                "A fan of the sweet stuff eh?  You got it." The barkeeper replied with a chuckle.

                Moments later the bartender returned with Thrax's drink.  Thrax paid the bartender and took the shot down in one hit.

                "Damn."  The bartender noted.  "I've never seen anyone take down an insulin shot in one hit with out passing out.  You some kind of virus or something?"

                "Maybe." Thrax replied.

                The bartender chuckled.  "Maybe huh?  Well I bet that you are a virus because I've never seen you in here before and trust me I've seen almost every bad cell in this city come in here once or twice."

                Thrax stared at the bartender.  "You said you've seen EVERY bad cell in here once before?"

                "Yeah, just about.  Why, you looking for someone?" The barkeeper asked.

                "Actually, baby, I am.  I looking for the boss around here, a guy who goes by the name of Draco." Thrax replied.

                The barkeeper froze in his tracks.  He turned to face Thrax with an expressionless face.  "Trust me.  You do not want to find Draco.  She isn't the kind of person that you want to mess with."

                "She?" Thrax asked in disbelief.

                "Yeah, she and trust me if you come in here looking for her and you find her, she'll humiliate you, kick your ass and then she'll kill you.  She is not someone that you want to cross paths with."

                "I bet!" Thrax said with a laugh.  "Look, I can take down anyone, even a chick, you dig?"

                "No, not this one.  She WILL kill you.  No matter how powerful or confident you are, she will always be more so.  She is a deadly virus after all and she runs everything with an iron fist."

                "Mmmm, a chick virus and a deadly one at that.  This will be fun indeed."  Thrax said with a smile.

                "Look man, you're crazy."

                "Yeah baby, you bet I'm crazy.  I'm also a deadly virus you know and I've killed many in my time and trust me, I'm not through yet."

                "You will be if you encounter her."

                'We'll see about that, now where is she?" Thrax asked leaning closer to the bartender.

                "Yo, barkeep, is this guy giving you trouble?" A large, 4-armed, green germ asked.

                "I don't know.  He's been asking on where he can find the boss." The barkeeper replied.

                "Why's he asking about the boss?" The green germ asked.

                "I dunno but he's asking for trouble." 

                "Well how's about we give to him?  Yo, Red!" The green germ yelled.

                Thrax turned around and didn't say a word.

                "You looking for the boss, well c'mon.  I'll take you to her."

                Thrax followed the germ to the very back corner of the club where he saw a table covered in shadows.

                "Um, boss." The green germ said submissively.

                "What do you want." The shadow replied.

                'Well, um…"

                "Spit it out already damn it."

                "Okay, I'm sorry ma'am.  Well this guy standing behind me says he's been looking for you and he wants to um… talk to you."

                "Well would you mind moving out of the way so I can see this guy?"

                "Sorry boss." The green germ said as he moved out of the way so the shadow could see Thrax.  There was a pause and Thrax could tell that Draco was looking him over.

                "All right.  Leave us, now!" The shadow ordered.

                "Yes boss." The green germ replied as he began to walk away.

                "You, Red, sit." The shadow ordered.

                As Thrax sat down and his eyes adjusted to the shadows, he could see that Draco looked a lot like him but with some subtle differences.  Draco had green eyes, long black hair that seemed to go down to the middle of her back, her skin color was a darker red than his and her clawed fingers were all about the same length.  She was wearing a larger black trench coat than his.  Hers had a belt and many buckles.  She wore black pants, a black tank top and black combat boots.  She had DNA chain around her neck that contained about the same number of beads as his did.  He only wished that he had his bracelet.

                "So you got a name?" Draco asked.

                "Yeah.  The name's Thrax." Thrax answered smoothly.

                "Thrax huh?  Well Thrax I've been hearing some things about you lately and it is to my understanding that you could prove to be a problem to my operation here."

                "Really?"

                "Yeah, really.  I heard you broke up a black market sellers convention and then killed off everyone in the building by burning them to dust."

                "Yeah.  That's right baby.  I did that but I guarantee you ain't seen nothing yet."

                "Uh huh.  Well Thrax on top of that I also got word that you were causing some trouble outside the club.  You broke our doorman's hand, didn't you?"

                "Yeah.  I did that."

                "Well then Thrax I'm going to make the assumption that you use force to do business.  You're one of those viruses who will to anything to accomplish his goals.  I like that.  I like that very much.  Now, what business do you have here, in Shane?"

                Thrax crossed his legs and put his right elbow on the table and coolly replied, "I have a promise to keep to a dear friend of mine.  To fulfil that promise I'm going to need manpower, and lots of it."

                "And what exactly are you planning on doing?"

                "Baby, I'm gonna take down Shane.  I'm going to invade the brain, sabotage the hypothalamus and get that hell out before this body dies.  That's what I'm going to do." Thrax replied, sitting back in his chair.

                "Now that I don't like.  This body is not free for invasion and destruction, especially by other viruses.  Go find another body to kill."

                "No.  I don't think you get it.  I HAVE to take THIS body down and it has to be done as soon as possible.  You dig?"

                "No Thrax. I don't dig.  Now I suggest you beat it before I do something I'm going to regret." Draco said standing up.

                "Is that threat?" Thrax asked standing up as well.

                "You bet Red.  You bet it is." Draco replied coldly.

                "Well then, bring it on baby.  After all, you're only a chick virus.  I can take you down anytime." Thrax boasted.

                "A chick virus? A CHICK VIRUS!" Draco yelled.  The music stopped and everyone stopped dancing.  The attention of everyone in the room was focused on Draco and Thrax.

                "Yeah baby.  You heard what I said.  You're a CHICK virus."

                Draco laughed and stared at Thrax menacingly.  

                "Well this chick virus is going to kick you ass, right here, right now.  You up for a fight, to the death?" 

                Thrax ran his tongue across his upper lip.  "You bet, but it'll be a shame to have to kill a pretty chick virus such as yourself."

                "Same goes for you Red.  You're not so bad looking yourself but looks aren't everything.  As of now you're and obstacle in my path that's about to blow away." 

                "Oooo, I'm shaking in my combat boots." Thrax said sarcastically.  

                As Draco and Thrax made their way to the center of the room, the crowd parted to create a path for them.  Some germs moved the tables and chairs that were in the way to the back of the room and the big green germ gave a wad of cash to the club owner to pay in advance for the damages.  Thrax and Draco each got into their fighting stances at opposite ends of the room.

                Thrax extended his deadly claw and waved it menacingly in front of his face, grinning evilly.  Draco just stood in her fighting stance with a confident look on her face.  Thrax made the first move by charging at Draco with his claw.  Draco stepped aside grabbed Thrax's left hand with her right, ducked and flung Thrax over her shoulder and into the wall behind her.

                Thrax pulled himself out of the indent he had made and stood up.  

                "That was pretty good.  This outta be interesting baby."

                Draco motioned him to bring it on.  Thrax threw a punch but Draco blocked it and countered with a roundhouse kick that sent Thrax to the floor.  Draco walked over to Thrax and put her foot on his back.

                "What?  Is that all the fight I'm going to get out of you today?" She asked mockingly.

                Thrax responded by grabbing her ankle and flinging her to the ground.  Thrax did a backhand spring and stood before Draco.  Draco got up and gave Thrax an uppercut that sent him flying through the air and into a table.  Draco walked through the crowd, grabbed Thrax by the shirt collar, and kicked him back into the center of the room.  

                "Bitch." Thrax mouthed as he struggled to get back up.  Once he was on his feet again he saw Draco coming at him.  She charged, jumped up in the air and aimed a kick at his head.  Thrax ducked, grabbed her foot and flung her into the crowd.  She landed on top of the green germ.  

                Draco got up, pushed the crowd aside and faced Thrax.

                "You're pretty good." She said and spat blood.  "Now I think it's time to kick it up a notch."

                Upon hearing this, the crowd stepped back as far as they could form Draco.  Draco's eyes began to glow bright red as her body was engulfed in bright red flames.  Draco charged at Thrax and punched him in the face.  Thrax flung back and landed in the bar.  Thrax was covered in the liquids that had come out of the bottles that he had broken when he had crashed into them.  There was glass in his dreadlocks and there was a stream of blood that flowed from his forehead onto the floor.

                As Thrax tried to get up his hands found themselves on the broken glass, which embedded into his skin.  Thrax grimaced in pain as he rose to his feet.  His blood now flowed from his hands, creating a small puddle on the floor.

                "Aw, is the big bad virus in pain?" Draco asked in a mocking baby voice.

 Thrax answered by jumping over the table and kicking Draco in the stomach.  Draco doubled back in pain and fell to the floor.  Thrax kneeled on the floor by Draco, preparing to deliver the final blow.  The crowd was now cheering  "Draco, Draco, Draco!" 

Draco rolled away from Thrax and got up.  

"You'll pay for that." She said. 

Draco ran over to Thrax and kicked him in the place where the sun don't shine.  Thrax screamed and then doubled over in pain.

"YOU BITCH, YOU BITCH, YOU BITCH!" he screamed.  "Why the hell did you do that!?!"

Draco laughed.  She walked up to him and kicked him hard in the back.  Thrax slammed into the wall.  

"Well Thrax, it's been fun but I think that it's about time that I ended this.  Good bye Thrax." Draco said as she walked up to him, her claw on her right hand extended and glowing.  

Draco pulled her hand back but just as she was about to kill Thrax, the claw on his left hand (it was no longer glowing) was pushed through her left shoulder.  Draco cried out in pain and surprise.  The crowd gasped.  Thrax pulled his claw out of her shoulder and looked at Draco.  Her expression was nothing short of absolute surprise.  Her eyes were wide and her hand was over her wound.  Her gaze was on Thrax.

Seconds later her gaze had shifted to her wound.  She lifted her hand off it and her blood fell from her hand and onto the floor.  Draco stared at the blood on her hand.

"I didn't think it was possible." She said in shock.  "But you, you actually drew blood.  No one has EVER done that before."  

Her gaze shifted back to Thrax who was in great pain and breathing heavily.

"I can't kill you now.  There must be something special about you if you were able to injure me in this way.  For that I must respect you."  Draco said as she turned around and began to walk away.

"So you want me to kill him for you, boss?"  The green germ asked, stepping in front of Draco.

"Draco's expression went from that of shock to anger.  "NO!" Draco yelled, grabbing the green germ by the neck.  "Haven't you heard a single thing that I have just said?  He is not to be killed.  You got that!?!" 

"Y..eee…sss." The green germ choked out.

"Good." Draco said as she dropped the germ.

The green germ rubbed his neck and asked, "So what do you want done with him.  He's gonna die if he doesn't get medical attention."

Draco stopped.  "For once you're right.  I need you and a couple of other germs to wrap him up in a blanket and carry him out to my car.  I'll take him home with me.  After all, I am a certified field doctor."  She said with a grin.

The green germ and three others got a blanket, wrapped Thrax in it and carried him out to Draco's car.

"Put him in the back seat." Draco ordered.

                The germs did as they were told.

                "Now go!" Draco ordered.  

                Draco climbed into the front seat of her black sports car and inserted the key into the ignition.  The engine hummed to life.

                "Why, why are you doing this?" Thrax asked weakly from the back seat. 

"The reasons are mine alone to know Thrax.  Now you try to relax.  We'll be back to my place in no time.  Trust me, I'll fix you up." Draco replied not turning around.

Draco heard Thrax start to say something but it was cut off.  Thrax has passed out, most likely from the pain.  Draco cruised through the veins and arteries of Shane, making her way up to the lymph nodes where on the outskirts of one of the lymph nodes was an old rundown, spooky looking house where the most dangerous of all the organisms in Shane lived.


	3. Questions Answered

**Chapter 3: Questions Answered**

The Lymph Nodes, Outskirts 10:50 PM

When Thrax woke up, he was lying in a bed, covered in bandages.  The glass from his hands had been removed and he noticed that he had been stripped down to his boxers.  Draco was no where to be seen.

"Damn." Thrax said to himself.  "I'm in pretty bad shape."

"Not as bad as you could have been.  You could be dead."  A voice said out of no where.  Draco emerged from the shadowy doorway wearing the same clothes that she had on at the bar except she was no longer wearing her leather trench coat.  Thrax noticed a bandage that had been wrapped around her wound on her shoulder.

"Where the hell did you come from?" Thrax asked trying to sit up.  "Ahhhhhhhhh!" 

"I wouldn't do that if I were you.  Lay back down or you may aggravate you wounds." Draco warned.

Thrax lay back down.  

"By the way Draco, what are my injuries?" Thrax asked, resting his head on the pillow.

"Well you've broken several of your ribs as well as sustained several internal injuries.  That's about it aside from the external ones." Draco answered.

"I feel like shit." Thrax said.

"Well I would to if I were you and I had just been beaten up by a 'chick virus' as you call it." Draco said with a grin.

"Thanks baby, you make me feel a lot better you know that?" Thrax said sarcastically.

Draco just laughed.

"And what exactly do you find so funny?"

"Nothing Thrax, nothing at all." Draco answered with a smile.

Thrax looked at Draco and then he understood what was going on.  He pulled the covers over himself to hide his boxers from her.

"I like your boxers." Draco commented.  "Love the flames."

"Thanks." Thrax said with sarcastic grin.

There was silence between them.  Draco looked down and rubbed her hand over her shoulder.

"Draco?" Thrax asked.  

Draco looked up at Thrax.

"Why did you decide to save me?" He asked with a curious expression.

"Like I told you before, the reasons for doing so are mine and mine alone but if you want a better answer than that, I can tell you that I felt something special about you.  I mean after you injured me.  That's the first time that an opponent has ever drawn blood and there was something inside me that told me to keep you alive." She answered.

"Huh." 

"Anyway, Thrax, what's the real reason that you're here in this body.  What's so special about it?" Draco asked while pulling up a chair next to Thrax's bed.

Thrax explained to Draco about everything that had happened to him over the past few days.  He told her about Frank, his plan, his record and about Osmosis Jones.  He also told her how he promised Jones that he would take down Frank's daughter, Shane. 

"So you see Draco that's why I HAVE to kill this body as soon as possible."

Draco stood up and turned her back to Thrax.

"I'd love to let you do it but I can't.  The um… group that I work for has plans for this body and it cannot be killed now.  If I had authorization to do so I would have already done it myself." She answered.

"So what is this group your working for?" 

"I can't tell you.  It's top secret.  In fact, I don't think that I should have even mentioned this stuff to you at all." Draco replied, turning around.

"Well it doesn't matter.  When I recover, I'm going to do it anyway.  With or without your permission." Thrax said with a grin.

"I don't think so.  I was sent into this body to take control and make sure that Shane doesn't get killed by another deadly virus."  There was a pause.  "And I fully intend to carry out my mission."

"So what are you going to do now, kill me." Thrax said sarcastically.

Draco looked at Thrax with a serious expression on her face and replied, "If it comes down to it, yes, I will kill you."  There was another pause.  "Now get some sleep Thrax.  I'll see you in the morning."  

Draco then turned around again, shut off the light and left the room.  Thrax stared at the door for a few seconds, turned around on his side and fell asleep.

The next morning or rather afternoon when Thrax woke up, he saw that all of his clothes were sitting on the chair next to his bed.  This time when Thrax tried to sit up, he was able to do so but not without wincing a few times.  Thrax then stood up but didn't move around too much because he was still sore.  He grabbed his clothes and put them on.

After a few moments, Thrax started to walk around the room.

"I wonder where Draco is?" Thrax said aloud.

Thrax walked out the door and as he did, he heard Draco and another voice screaming at each other.  Thrax followed the sound of their voices.  He was lead to a room with a large screen embedded into the wall.  Standing in front of the screen was Draco.  She was yelling at a rather aged virus that was on the screen.  Thrax moved in closer so he could hear them better.

"Look Chief I told you, I'm not going to kill him!"

"Draco, your orders were to stop any killer virus who tried to kill Shane.  If this one virus that you helped intends to jeopardize the mission your orders are to kill him. Do you understand that?"

"But sir! This one is different.  I know I can stop him with out killing him."

"Draco your orders are to kill him, understood?"

"NO IT IS NOT UNDERSTOOD!  WHY THE HELL ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME!?!" Draco screamed.

                "Doing what to you?"

                "You know what DAD!  You always make me kill everyone when I sound like I have the slightest interest in them."

                "Draco, I do not.  I'm just telling you to get rid of anyone who may ruin the mission."

                "Well I don't honestly give a damn.  You know me and the team can just leave whenever we want to and you'd be screwed over as the laughing stock of viral intelligence."

                "You wouldn't dare."

                "I would.  Believe me I would.  I'm NOT going to kill him no matter what you say."

                "DAMN IT DRACO I AM YOUR SUPERIOR AND YOU WILL OBEY ME.  YOUR ORDERS ARE TO KILL HIM.  THAT IS ALL!" The aged virus said and the screen went black.

                "So are you going to go through with it?" Thrax asked stepping through the doorway.

                Draco spun around when she heard him.  

                "You've been listening in on my conversation?" Draco asked with alarm.

                "Yeah baby, I have and were you serious about being interested in me?" Thrax asked with some hopefulness in his voice.

                "Well, um… yes.  I was serious.  I'm also serious about not going to kill you.  I don't give a damn what he says.  For all I care, my father can just go to hell!" Draco said angrily. 

                Thrax put one of his clawed hands on her shoulder and asked, "Would you mind telling me what the hell I just witnessed?"

                "Yeah, sure but first I think I need some coffee." Draco said putting her hand on her forehead and rubbing her eyes.

                Draco and Thrax walked into the kitchen and after they each had some coffee, they both sat down on the couch.  Thrax put his arm around Draco.  She didn't resist.

                "Well Thrax, let me start at the beginning and give you the low down.  First off, I am a special Ops agent for VIN, the Virus Intelligence Network.  That ass hole that you just saw on the screen is my father and commander in chief.  He runs the organization.  The primary function of VIN is to gather information, track viruses and kill bodies if the world's viruses haven't killed enough.  I am also the leader of Styrker Team Alpha, the best viral invasion force in the world.  We usually take down hundred of bodies a year and are behind almost every major plague that has ever taken place after the year 1200."

                "Wow, that's some tough shit to lay down on me baby." 

                "I know it is." Draco replied, standing up and walking over towards the window.

                Thrax got up off the couch and followed her.  He walked up behind her and placed his hands on her waist.  She leaned back and he put his head on her shoulder.

                "Draco, baby."

                "Yes, Thrax?"

                "I have never felt what I'm feeling before baby but I think what I'm feeling is love.  Draco, I think I'm in love with you." Thrax said smoothly.

                Draco leaned in closer and replied, "I'm in love with you too Thrax.  I'm in love with you too."

                Draco turned around to face Thrax.  Thrax still had his hands on her waist.  Draco lifted her hands and put them on his shoulders.  They leaned in close to each other and then they passionately kissed.  

                While kissing, they worked their way over to the couch where Thrax fell backwards and Draco fell on top of him.  We all know what happened to them that afternoon.

                When Thrax awoke, he was on the floor with Draco beside him.  He kissed her, got up and put his clothes back on.  

                "Sorry baby, but I have work to do.  I'll be back for you soon, I promise." Thrax said softly as he quietly walked out the door.

The Brain Stem 9:45 PM

                Several Brain Security cells were on patrol that night.  None of them really took their jobs seriously since nothing ever happened.  Well tonight, something was going to happen, something big.

                "This is Patrol 1 reporting no signs of activity on the south side.  Over."

                "Patrol 1, this is control.  All is quiet.  Stay alert. Over."

                "Affirmative.  Over.  Patrol 1 out."

                As Patrol 1 continued his usual routine, he didn't seem to notice a freshly melted hole in the fence.  No, Patrol 1 didn't notice anything at all, until it was too late.  The last thing that Patrol 1 saw was a glowing orange light coming down upon him.  His death was so swift that he didn't even have time to scream.  What a pity.  

                A dark and unnoticed figure slipped passed the rest of the security guards and entered the brain.  Meanwhile…

The Lymph Nodes, Outskirts 10:35 PM

                "Thrax?" Draco asked into the darkness.  "Thrax, where are you?"

                As Draco put her clothes back on, she walked around the house searching and calling out to Thrax.  She never got a response.

                "Now where the hell could he have gone?"  

                Just then, it hit her like a lightning bolt hitting a tree.

                "Damn it Thrax, you didn't." Draco said aloud.  

                Draco knew where Thrax had gone.  He had gone to the one place where she didn't want him to go.  Well screw the damn mission.  

                "I've got to go get him.  He's gonna find himself in deep shit if he thinks he can take down Shane by himself." Draco said as she grabbed her car keys and ran out the door.

Hypothalamus 11:00 PM

                The Hypothalamus was heavily guarded.  There were two armed guards stationed outside the door and two inside.  There were also guards standing in the corridor that lead to the Hypothalamus gland.  Thrax noted this as he was standing in the shadows at the end of the corridor.  However, he was prepared.  He swiped a security clearance badge from one of his victims and he was sure that these cells had no idea what a deadly virus even looked like.  With the badge pinned to his coat, he simply walked down the hall with his hands in his pockets.  

                When the guards saw the badge, they waved him along.

                "Stupid cells." Thrax thought to himself.

                When Thrax reached the end of the corridor the two cells that were guarding the door stopped him.

                "Excuse me sir but what do you think you are doing here?" One of the guards asked.

                "I was told that they needed more help up here.  You know, making sure that all parts of the body read the normal temperature, 98.6." Thrax replied.

                "Hold on one second while we varify that." The other guard said as he called his superiors on his walkie-talkie.

                Moments later…

                "Well sir.  My superiors told me that no one was sent here.  So who are you, really?" The guard asked. 

                Thrax smiled and laughed. 

                "A virus baby.  A virus." He replied with an evil grin.

                Before the guards could draw their weapons Thrax had slashed each of their throats with his deadly claw.  The other hallway guards saw this and came running.

                "Careful boys, I'm contagious." Thrax said as he made a ball of fire in his hand and fired it forward into the ground.  

The fireball spread across the path and rose higher, creating a barrier between Thrax and the guards.  Thrax sliced opened the entrance to the Hypothalamus and casually disposed of the two guards in the room by throwing them into the double helix in the middle of the room.  Thrax then killed off the two working cells by impaling them on the thermometers.

                "Hello baby." Thrax said putting on his sunglasses and walking over to the spiraling double helix in the center of the room.

                Thrax then drove his glowing claw into the barrier that surrounded the DNA strand.  Through the newly created hole, Thrax reached his claw in and carefully selected his DNA bead.  When he did, he stuck it in his pocket.

                "I'll add you to my collection once I get my bracelet back." Thrax said as he patted the pocket that contained the DNA bead.

                "Freeze scum bag!" A voice from behind said.

                Thrax turned around to see several armed guards who were pointing their weapons at him.

                "Hand over the DNA bead." One of the guards said.

                "Make me." Thrax replied with a sneer.

                "On the count of three, drop him boys! One, Two, Thr- ack, ack, achhhhhhhhh….." The guard said as he fell to the floor, dead.  

                Thrax heard shots as the rest of the guards fell down dead.  Their heads exploded from the impact of the bullets creating a pretty red mural on the side of the wall.  Thrax looked up and saw Draco.  She was lying on the upper walkway with a sniper rifle.  She jumped down and landed next to Thrax.

                "Thrax, baby, you are so dead." She said hugging him.

                "Are you going to let me keep it or did I come all this way for nothing?" Thrax asked.

                "Lets just say that the mission was a failure." Draco replied, kissing Thrax on the cheek.  "Now let's get the hell out of here."

                Thrax and Draco ran down the corridor, avoiding the guards as they ran by.

                "So what's your plan for a get away?" Draco asked as they ran.

                "I dunno.  I'm just making it up as I go, baby."

                "Great."

                "Don't worry, we'll get out of this."

                "Yeah your right, I mean we're in this thing together, aren't we?"

                "Damn straight Draco.  Damn straight."

                When Draco and Thrax reached the end of the corridor, they were cornered by several groups of guards.

                "Give it up viral scum, we have you surrounded.  Hand over the DNA bead." One of the guards ordered.

                "Thrax." Draco whispered. "I just remembered.  I do have a plan."

                "Really?  Well now's a good time to use it."

                "Right."

                Draco stepped away from Thrax and pulled out a black box with a big red button.

                "I've taken the liberty of rigging this brain with explosives.  If any of you try anything funny, I'll press this button and you'll be blown to hell.  Now put down your weapons." 

                The guards looked at each other and put their weapons down on the ground.

                "Okay Thrax, see that window over there?" Draco whispered.

                "Yeah, why?"

                "We need to go over to that window."

                "Why?"

                "Because this really isn't a detonator and there are no explosives."

                "Shit."

                "Don't worry.  What it actually is, is a remote signal for the autopilot on my helicopter.  I already pressed the switch on the underside so our ride should be here any second."

                "Oh."

                Draco and Thrax made their way to the window.  When they arrived, they began to hear the sound of a helicopter.

                "Okay Thrax, we're going to have to jump when I say so.  Got it?"

                "Yeah baby, I got it."

                They waited a few seconds.

                "And…. NOW!" Draco shouted.  

                Before the guards realized what was happening, Draco and Thrax had jumped out the window.  As they fell the chopper rolled to the side, caught them, and righted itself.  The two of them walked out of the cargo hold and into the cockpit.  Draco took the pilot's seat and Thrax took the co-pilot's seat beside her.  They both put on a headset. 

                "Nice chopper but I thought that an agent virus like you would have an attack chopper, not a cargo chopper." Thrax commented.

                "Trust me, this is like an attack chopper, just a bigger version.  It still packs a punch.  Now lets get the hell out of here."

                As the chopper flew up the esophagus and to the mouth Draco noticed that they had picked up several SPIT choppers on the way.

                "Thrax, would you mind pressing that green button over there, we have some company."

                "Yeah sure." Thrax replied, pressing the large green button in front of him.

                A light on the overhead dash came on and a picture of a missile lit up on one of the overhead monitors.  Draco switched on the rear-view camera and saw two missiles fire out of the back of the chopper.

                The SPIT choppers tried to avoid the missiles but unfortunately for them, the missiles already had a lock on their targets.  Each missile hit their target and two fireballs exploded in the air.  Pieces of shrapnel fell from the sky and rained onto Shane's tongue and gum line.  However, one very large piece landed through the windshield of a third SPIT chopper, impaling the pilot and causing the chopper to crash into the gum line.

                "Boom baby!" Thrax shouted, turning around to get a better look at the chaos they had caused.

                Draco and Thrax laughed together as they flew through Shane's mouth and into open airspace.

                "So, where are we headed?" Thrax asked.

                "Well first, I have to make a stop back at VIN HQ and then we can go where ever you want to.  Got anything special in mind?"

                "Yeah, I do baby.  I do.  We'll head to The City of Frank."

                "Okay. Frank it is."


	4. Stryker

**Chapter 4: Stryker**

VIN HQ, Heliport 1:43 AM

                "Well here we are.  VIN Head Quarters." Draco said, taking off her headset and getting out of the chopper.

                Thrax did the same.  Draco noticed two men running towards them.

                "Great." She muttered.  "My father's lackeys."

                "Commander Draco ma'am." One of them asked.

                "Yes?" She replied.

                "The Chief would like to see you in his office right now.  Would you please follow us?"

                "No, I'll go there myself.  I don't need to be escorted by his two slaves thank you very much.  C'mon Thrax." 

                Draco and Thrax walked into the main building.  When they arrived at her father's office Draco asked Thrax to wait outside.

                Draco opened the door to the office.

                "DRACO!" Her father yelled when he saw her enter the room.  "I GAVE YOU A DIRECT ORDER NOT TO KILL SHANE AND YOU DID NOT COMPLY WITH IT!  DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF MISSION PROTOCOL?"

                "Yeah, I know dad."

                "Don't call me that here.  You are to refer to me as sir when you are in my presence here."

                "What ever."

                "Don't give me that shit Draco.  You damn well how to act here."

                "Yes sir."

                "Aside from fucking up the mission you also disobeyed me by not killing that other deadly virus, am I correct?"

                "Yes sir.  You are correct."

                "My question for you Draco is why?  Why would you do this to me?"

                "Because DAD, you never let me get close to anyone outside of the organization.  Through out my own life I've been forced to kill people I care about and I'm sick of it.  I'm not going to do it anymore and I don't care what kind of fucking rules I'm breaking in the process.  I deserve to have a life outside of VIN and you should know that."

                "Draco, you have never had a problem with this since you started doing it.  You are the top agent in the organization, doesn't that mean anything to you?"

                "No, not anymore it doesn't.  I used to think that being the best was all that life had to offer but I was wrong."

                "I bet this shit your giving me has something to do with that virus that you just couldn't kill, am I correct?"

                "Look.  This one is different.  He's kind, fun loving, evil, destructive, interesting, not to mention he's got to be the cutest guy I've ever met in my entire life."

                "And how long have you know this guy?"

                "About 24 hours, sir."

                "24 HOURS?  24 HOURS!  YOU'VE KNOWN A GUY FOR ONLY 24 HOURS AND YOU'RE ALREADY HEAD OVER HEALS FOR HIM?  WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?!?"

                "That's really none of you damn business."

                "I'm your father and I have a RIGHT to know!"

                "No you don't, you've never had one and you never will!" Draco yelled as she punched her father in the jaw.  Her father doubled back and fell on his desk, breaking it in half.  He put his hand to his face and stood up, shocked and angered.

                "THAT'S IT, I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU!  YOU INSUBORDINATE CHILD!" He screamed as he slapped her hard in the face.  Draco took the blow and didn't move.

                "Striking a superior officer can get you Court Marshaled you know!" He yelled.

                "Not if I'm no longer an officer."

                "That's right.  Then I can have you for assault."

                "Fine by me!" Draco screamed as she kicked her father into the wall.  "They can also have me for murder."

                Draco took her sniper rifle that hung from a strap on her back and looked through the sight.  Draco saw her father's terrified face look up at her.  She pulled back on the trigger and fired.  The bullet went through her father's head, killing him instantly before his head exploded from the impact.  There was blood all over the wall and the floor.  Draco turned around, walked out the door and didn't give it a second thought.

                "What the hell happened in there?" Thrax asked.

                Draco grabbed Thrax's hand and led him down the hallway.  "We'll talk about it later.  For now we have to get to the supply building."

                "Why, what's there?"

                "Not what Thrax, who."

                When Draco and Thrax entered the supply building they saw eight guys, dressed in black and fully decked out with weaponry.  They all looked up when they saw Draco.

                "Commander!" One of them yelled and ran over to her.

                "Diego." Draco said.  "I knew you guys would be here."

                "What's up Drac?" 

                "We've got to get out of here, now.  I'm no longer with VIN."

                "You mean we're going free lance?"

                "Yeah."

                "Hey guys." Diego shouted to the other seven.  "We're going free lance!"

                There were cheers from the back of the room.

                "So Draco, who's the dude?"

                "Oh.  I'm sorry.  Diego this is Thrax.  Thrax, this is Diego, my second in commander for Stryker Team Alpha.  I'll introduce you to the others later."

                Thrax and Diego shook hands.

                "Nice to meet you Thrax."

                "You too, Diego."

                "So D, what's our status?"

                "Okay Draco.  The boys and I fully loaded up our four attack choppers and the transport chopper since we thought that you came back for a big mission with us.  But that isn't the case since we're going free lance, right?"

                "Well actually we are going to do a big mission together but first we've got to leave."

                "Right.  Okay boys!  Fire up the choppers, we're moving out."

                The seven team members grabbed the last of the supplies and ran outside to get the five helicopters started.

                "So is it alright if I ask why we have to leave so quickly?"

                "I killed my father."

                "Damn."

                "I'll explain later, let's go."

                Draco, Thrax and Diego ran outside.  Diego ran to the co-pilot side of the transport chopper.  Thrax and Draco separated into different attack choppers.  As the helicopters began to take off, about 25 armed men ran out of the main building and opened fire on the choppers.

                "To Attack Teams 2-4, this is Attack Team 1.  Your orders are to return fire.  Kill them all.  Over and Out." Draco ordered to the other choppers over her headset. 

                All four attack choppers opened machine gun fire on the group of guards.  Over the whir of the blades, the team couldn't hear the screams of their victims as the fell to the ground in a bloody heap but it didn't matter because it was all over in a few seconds.

                "Good work team.  I'm sending you guys coordinates for our next destination.  They should appear on each of your overhead monitors in a few seconds.  As you all know, we've broken off from VIN and gone free lance.  The reason for this is the murder of my father.  All of you Strykers know about the problems that I've been having with him over the years and to put it quite frankly, I was just sick of it.  I killed him and I enjoyed it too."  The Stykers smiled as they listened to their commander's communication through their headsets.  "I know we've all been together since we joined this organization many, many years ago and we're not going to let a minor set back like this stop us.  I have some connections with black market arms dealers who owe me a few favors.  Once we run out of weapons and supplies, I'll have them hook us up with new ones.  We'll take down anything and anyone that gets in our way, including the other Stryker VIN teams.  I hope that you're all with me, as you always have been."  There was pause.  "Our first free lance victim will be a Frank Detorri.  You all have his current coordinates so sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.  We'll go over mission objectives, as well as a few other things I would like to touch upon when we arrive.  I'll talk to you again when we get there.  Good night guys." Draco said as she cut the communication.

Somewhere in Providence, Maine 6:37 AM

                "Draco!  Draco!"  A voice yelled into Draco's headset.  "Draco, wake up."

                "Huh, what?" Draco said drowsily into the receiver.  The voice belonged to Diego.  "Hey, what's up Diego?"

                "I'm going to give the order to set the choppers down, if I get authorization from you first."

                "Yeah, sure.  You can give the order.  I mean if **I**** fell asleep, I can only imagine how the rest of the team is feeling."**

                "Sure thing commander." Diego said.

                Draco switched off the headset and dozed back off to sleep.

Same location 9:15 AM

                "Hey there sleeping beauty." 

                Draco opened her eyes and saw Thrax looking down on her.  She leaned forward and they kissed.

                "Hey baby, what'd I miss?"

                "Not much.  Your team landed the choppers and set up a temporary campsite.  Nothin new other than that babe."

                "Okay." Draco replied as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.  Draco noticed that she had been sleeping on the ground and that Thrax had rolled up his coat and let her use it as a pillow.  Draco grabbed his coat, dusted it off and gave it too back to him.  Then she sat down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder.  Thrax put his arm around her.

                "So Drac, when did you meet him?" A voice said.  

                Draco looked across the campsite and saw Diego, sitting on the ground, drinking coffee.

                "While I was on my last mission Diego."

                Diego smiled and sipped his coffee.

                "Yo D!" One of the Strykers called.  "I checked out all of the choppers, they're good.  None of them sustained any damage last night."

                Diego nodded his head in reply.  

                "Oh yeah."  Draco said, standing up.  "Could all of you guys come over here please?"

                The rest of the Strykers stopped whatever they were doing and came over to the campsite.

                "Okay.  I guess in all of the commotion last night I forgot the introductions boys.  This cute ass hunk of deadly virus that I was just sitting next to is Thrax, my boyfriend so to speak."

                All of the Strykers waved at Thrax and muttered an exhausted "Hey."

                "Okay.  Thrax I'd like to introduce you to the Strykers."  

                All of the Strykers had green skin, red eyes and had a resemblance to lizards.  They were all of the same species but it was easy to tell one Stryker apart from another.

                "First off, there's my second in command, Diego.  I know you've already met him.  The short guy on the left with the scarlet colored braid is Demo, our explosives and demolitions expert.  The burly guy next to him with the short black hair is Rip, our heavy weapons expert.  Rip operates the heavy machine gun for the team and provides suppression and cover fire.  The other burly guy next to him with the long black hair is his brother, Spike.  Spike's our mechanical engineer and he also accompanies Rip on the heavy machine gun if we need more cover fire.  The guy next to him with the blue ponytail is Shade.  Shade is one of our lead sniper riflemen.  His partner, the guy with the gold ponytail, is Raven.  The sleek and stealthy looking guy over there is Zen.  Zen is our special intelligence and tactical espionage officer.  Last but not least is the guy with the short brown hair is Xion.  Xion is our computer expert and strategist.  Every member of the team has weapons and martial arts training and could easily do the other ones job with almost no difficulties." Draco concluded.

                "Damn.  I'm very impressed baby.  I really am." Thrax said with a somewhat speechless expression on his face.  Then Thrax grinned and laughed maniacally.  "Mmm, yes.  This is going to make things so much easier."

                "That reminds me Draco." Diego said.

                "Yeah, what's up?"

                "What exactly is our next job going to be?"

                "Well I think that Thrax can explain this one a lot better then I can.  Take it away baby."

                "You got it.  Well, this next job that you guys are gonna pull is very simple.  I know you've done it many times before but this is gonna be special.  Yeah."  Thrax said, walking around the campsite with his deadly claw twirling in the air.  "Now get this.  I normally would do this myself but since I have had such good luck, your help will be needed.  Your job is to help me invade and kill a certain body baby.  Yeah.  This body has caused me a lot of trouble and I did take it down, or at least I would have…"

                Thrax stopped dead in his tracks.  His expression turned from one of content to one of pure anger and rage. 

                "IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT DAMN IMMUNITY COP, OSMOSIS JONES!" He shouted as he turned around to face the Strykers.  

                Thrax's anger was building as his body became engulfed in flames.  Thrax took a few deep breaths and took a few seconds to regain his composure.  The flames subsided.

                "So when we get in that body baby, we're going to give Jones a world of pain and suffering before we take down him and his body."                

                "So let me get this straight Thrax." Diego said.  "We're going to invade Frank, torture Osmosis Jones and then kill them both?"

                "Almost, almost but you're missing something.  We're not just going to torture Jones.  We're going to bring absolute terror to the city.  I will kill Jones but you're part in this gig is setting the stage for the terror."

                "So what exactly do you call what we're going to do?"

                "The way I think of it is revenge.  Sweet revenge."

                "Sounds fun." Xion said.  "But, there are tons of ways to kill a body.  How are you planning on doing it?"

                "You see this?" Thrax said taking the DNA bead out of his pocket and holding between two of his claws.  "This here little DNA bead comes from my last target, Frank's daughter Shane.  This very important little sucker was taken form her Hypothalamus gland, in her brain.  What we're going to do is take over the brain and cause a deadly fever by stealing this baby.  Once it's gone the body's temperature goes haywire and once it hits 108 degrees our target will already be half way to Heaven."

                "How many bodies have you killed?" Xion asked.

                "I dunno.  Maybe around thirty.  I've taken them down by myself with my personal record holding at about 32 hours." Thrax replied with a sneer.

                "Nice.  As a team, our record is about 24.  We've done less but it all averages out to 24 hour kill time."

                "So, do you boy's think you can pull this off?" Thrax asked menacingly. 

                "Yeah, we can pull it off.  We can pull it off easy." Diego replied.  

                "Excellent.  Xion, get a plan of action together and run it by me before we enter Frank." Thrax ordered.

                "Sure.  No problem."

                "Okay guys, I guess you've got some downtime.  Enjoy yourselves." Draco said with a smile.  "Nice job Thrax.  You could be a team commander if you keep it up."

                Draco elbowed Thrax lightly in the chest.

                "Funny."

                "No I'm serious.  You could be, if you wanted too."

                "Nah, baby I'm not really a team player."

                "Oh, okay.  But if you ever have a change of heart, you know where to go." Draco said as she walked off to go work with Xion on the invasion and attack strategies.

                Thrax grabbed a cup of coffee and sat back down.  The two snipers, Shade and Raven sat down on either side of Thrax.

                "So Thrax, you two gotten it on yet?" Raven asked.

                "I don't see why that's any of your business." Thrax replied, taking a sip of his coffee.

                "Aw, c'mon.  You can tell us." Shade said, elbowing Thrax in the arm. 

                Thrax looked as if he was about to get up and deck the two of them.  Diego noticed this and came over.

                "What the hell are you two doing?" Diego asked with his arms crossed.

                "Aw, nothing D.  We're just getting better aquatinted with our new _hombre, that's all." Raven replied._

                "You two are pestering him about Draco, aren't you?"

                "No D.  What ever gave you that idea?" Shade asked innocently.

                "Well from the looks of it your new _hombre looks as if he's gonna kill you two and honestly I'm not going to stop him." Diego said, grinning._

                Thrax stood and extended his deadly claw.  He then pointed it at Shade and Raven.

                "Aw shit, man.  We were just kidding around." Raven said.

                "Yeah, we weren't serious." Shade agreed.

                "Well I am." Thrax said coldly.  

                Thrax then jumped up in the air and drop kicked both Raven and Shade, hitting them square in the face.  The two of the flung back and hit a crate full of C4.

                "Damn it you two!" Demo shouted as he ran towards the C4.  "You could have set this shit off and we could have been blown to Kingdom Come."

                Raven and Shade ignored Demo and wearily got up.  They both faced Thrax.

                "Okay Red, now you're going to get it." Raven said.  "Shade, you're on back up."

                "Got it Raven." Shade acknowledged. 

                By this time, all of the Strykers were watching the battle unfold.

                "Shouldn't you stop the two of them before they hurt someone Draco?" Xion asked.

                "Nah.  I'll let them duke it out.  They can see for themselves why it's a bad idea to mess with Thrax." Draco replied.

                "Well if you want me and my brother to step in commander, give the word." Rip said.

                "I think I'll only need you and Spike to drag Raven and Shade off of the battle field once Thrax is done with them." Draco answered with a laugh.

                Raven and Shade both came at Thrax.  Raven charged and Shade charged and jumped.  Thrax ducked to dodge Shade and then he grabbed Raven's ankle and slammed him into Shade who had landed behind him.

                Thrax turned around to face Raven and Shade who were now on their feet.  They both went on the offense again, each with a forward roll ending with a kick.  Their kicks landed themselves on Thrax's chest.  Thrax flew into the air and landed on his back.  He laughed, shook off the blow and got back up again.  Thrax charged at the pair who jumped over him.  

                Thrax noticed this and stopped in mid-charge to counter the pair with a roundhouse kick that landed in each of their faces.  Both Raven and Shade were knocked to the ground.  Thrax then walked over and proceeded to beat the shit out of the two snipers with a barrage of kicks and punches. 

                After Thrax was satisfied that he had given the snipers a good beating, he spat in their faces and said, "That'll teach you to EVER mess with me again assholes." Thrax then put on his sunglasses and walked away.

                "You two want to drag my snipers good for nothing carcasses over here so that we can fix them up?" Draco asked.

                "Yeah sure Drac." Rip said.  "Let's go Spike."

                When Rip and Spike had gone Draco felt a pair of clawed hands wrap around her waist.  Draco stretched back, reached her arms up and put them around the back of his neck.

                "Nice moves Thrax Daddy." She said smoothly.

                "You liked them baby?  Let me show you a few more." He offered.

                "Mmmm, yes.  I'll take you up on your offer." She agreed.

                Thrax and Draco began to walk over to the transport chopper.

                "Where you two headed?" Diego asked from behind.

                "Transport chopper for a little private time." Draco replied back.

                "Ah." Diego said with a nod. "I gotcha.  I'll keep the boys busy."

                "Thanks Diego." Draco said as she climbed into the back of the transport chopper.  She giggled as Thrax grabbed her waist from behind.  

                "Aw, c'mon baby.  Let me close the door." Draco said.

                "Alright." Thrax replied, working his lips up to her mouth.  They kissed passionately as Draco managed to close the door.

            "Ah, love." Diego sighed as he walked away.


	5. Premonition

**Chapter 5: Premonition**

The City of Frank, Lymph Nodes, 3rd Precinct 1:00 PM

                "And at the top of the news this week is the unexpected death of Frank's daughter, Shane.  Shane died last night at approximately 11:30 PM in Providence Memorial Hospital.  Doctors say that she was taken by a mysterious and sudden fever that killed her in less than 32 hours.  Doctors say that her death was definitely caused by a virus." The NNN reporter said, trying not to cry.

                Inside the Precinct there were cells coming in from all over asking about Shane's death.  The whole City of Frank was saddened and deeply effected by this tragedy.  The Chief of Frank PD was holding an emergency conference with some of his best officers, including Drix, the famous cold-pill and Osmosis Jones, the immunity cop that saved Frank.

                "As a result of Shane's death, I have doubled security in the brain and all around the body.  We don't know if that virus that killed Shane is gone for good or if he's coming here.  Hell for all we know he could already be here!" The Chief speculated.  "Can any of you tell me where we stand?"

                There was silence from the group of officers.

                "Ozzie!" The Chief yelled.

                Osmosis did not respond.  His eyes were wide, he was staring down at the floor and he looked as if he was clearly in another dimension.

                "Ozzie!" The Chief yelled again.

                No response.

                "OSMOSIS!"

                "Huh?  Yeah, what?" Osmosis said, snapping out of his trance.

                "Ozzie, is there something on your mind?"

                "No Chief, nothing at all."

                The Chief grunted.

                "Fine then.  If none of you have anything to say, well then I'm adjuring this meeting.  You can all leave, um, except you Ozzie.  You stay here."

                All of the officers left the conference room, including Drix but Osmosis Jones stayed behind.

                "No Ozzie.  I can tell that you have something on your mind and it's really bothering you.  Why don't you tell me what it is?" The Chief asked.

                "What's bothering me is something that Thrax had said to me when he had me pinned down to that falsie."

                "Thrax?  But Ozzie, Thrax is dead.  You said you saw him die yourself.  You remember you told me that you saw him fall into a beaker of Alcohol.  No one could survive that, not even Thrax and you and I both know it."

 "I know, I know Chief but his last words to me were chilling.  Those words are the kind of thing that you can't forget.  They just seem to stick in the back of your mind."

"What did he say?"

"I remember it completely.  He said _'Too bad you won't be here, to see me break my record, when I take down Frank's pretty, little girl.'"_

"Wow.  That is creepy Jones but I don't think he had anything to do with Shane's death.  Like I had said before, he's dead." 

"I know.  I know.  But I'm keeping an open mind to all of the possibilities, that's all."           

"Why don't you go home Jones?  I think having the day off might do you some good."

Suddenly the cell working on communications came bursting into the room.

"Chief!  We have an emergency.  It seems the Johnny Streptococcus of the Melanoma family has just called for a war between his family and the flu shots."

"Damn.  I thought that we cleared up the problem already?"

"I guess not sir."

"Damn.  Ozzy?"

"Yeah."

"I'm going to need almost every cop on the force to stop this thing, you up for it?"

"You bet!" Ozzy said, jumping up from his chair.  "I'll go get Drix!"

And with that, Osmosis Jones ran out the door, ready to take down the bad guys and unfortunately for Frank, forgetting all about Thrax and his final words.

Somewhere in Providence, Maine 1:55 PM

There was a knock on the door of the transport chopper.

"What?" Draco yelled from the inside.

"Zion's got the plan ready and he needs you're approval, as well as Thrax's before he can run it by the team." Diego replied.

"Well there goes our private time." Thrax murmured in disappointment.

"We'll be out in a minute." Draco shouted.  

Thrax began kissing her again.  Draco broke away and shouted, "Make that two minutes D."

"Alright." Diego replied, shaking his head and smiling as he walked over to Xion.

"They'll be out in a few." 

"Okay D, sure thing."

"How are our two dead bodies doing?" Diego asked with a chuckle.

"Well Spike and Rip fixed them up but I can tell you that our snipers aren't too happy about being beat up by what they refer to as an amateur." Xion replied.

"An amateur huh?  Ha!  Those two are just sore losers."

"Yeah, I know.  They're pretty pathetic aren't they?"

"Yeah.  They are Xion.  They are.  You think those two would learn to mind their own businesses by now but no.  I mean look at them; they got their asses kicked, again.  I'm just glad that they don't do this stuff while we're pulling off a mission."

"If they did, they'd screw us all.  But you gotta admit D, they are the comic reliefs of the team."

"That's true." Diego said with another chuckle.  "At least their good at it."

                "Aside from being total idiots, they are the best damn snipers I've ever seen." Draco said from behind.           

                "Hey. You two have fun?" Diego asked as he heard the door to the transport chopper slam shut.

                "Yeah.  It was a blast." Draco replied as she put her coat back on and walking over to a table that had been set up by the nose of the nearest attack chopper.

                "Wouldn't have missed it for anything." Thrax said putting his coat back on as well.  "So what do you boys have for us?"

                "Well Thrax, I've got the plan." Xion replied.

                "Well lay it down baby."

                "You got it.  I figured that the best place to enter the body would be through an open wound.  Well since I couldn't find one, I decided to go for the next best thing.  Seems that Frank had several new pimples, most of which are in easy to see places and almost all of which, are starting to bother him.  I'm thinking that he's going to pop one soon."

                "And what if he doesn't?" Thrax asked raising an eyebrow.

                "Then we blow the head and make ourselves an entrance.  If we move in fast enough, we probably won't be noticed."

                "And if we are?" Draco asked.

                "We won't be.  When we enter, the chopper blades with be on quiet mode so that they won't make a sound."

                "Nice.  What's the plan from there Xion?"

                "Well commander, from there we're going to head to a warehouse in the liver where we can safely land and park the choppers.  As a distraction, I've already taken the liberty of calling a few allies that we have to start a gang war so to speak.  The cops will be too busy with that so our chances of pulling phase one off is at almost 100 percent probability."

                "That's what I like to hear.  I'm assuming that there's a phase two to your plan?"

                "That's right Thrax.  I'll run that by the team when we complete phase one.  If you guys want to know about phases two and three now I can tell you."

                "Surprise me." Thrax said with a grin.

                "That'll be all for now Xion.  You can tell us about the other phases later, after we complete Phase One, just in case we run into problems you'll have some time to fix it." Draco agreed.

                "Okay, sounds great." Xion replied.

                "Now, there's the little problem with our snipers that I have to attend too.  By the way, how are those two?"

                "Just fine now Drac." Rip said from out of nowhere. 

                "Are they awake?"              

                "Yeah, they are.  Awake and unhappy."

                "I would be too but then again they'll learn from their mistakes.  What are their injuries?"

                "Nothing too serious that they won't recover from in a days time.  Those two are die hard if you know what I mean."

                "Yeah, I do."

                Just then, the two snipers came walking around from the temporary infirmary that had been set up by Rip and Spike behind another one of the attack choppers.  They both had bandages on their faces as well as other parts of their bodies.  Raven was rubbing the right side of his face while Shade was complaining about his arm.  They walked over to the group but when they saw Thrax, they froze.

                "Hi boys." Draco said with a smile.

                "Hey commander." Raven muttered.

                "Have you two kung fu masters learned something today?" She asked.

                "Yeah.  Don't piss off and then get into a fight with a guy who's been drinking coffee." Shade replied, rubbing his arm.

                "I think you two are missing the lesson here."

                "No we got it.  The lesson is not to piss of someone who's bigger, taller and meaner than you are." Raven said.

                "Sort of, but I think you guys got the picture anyway."               

                "So what was that you two said about me being an 'amateur'?" Thrax asked extending his deadly claw.

                Shade and Raven's eyes went wide.

                "We didn't mean anything by it, honest." Raven said backing up.

                Thrax stepped forward, towards them.

                "Seriously man, we're sorry!" Shade cried, eyeing Thrax's claw.

                "Sorry huh?  I outta kill you two just for that insult!" Thrax shouted, stepping towards them.

                Suddenly a hand was placed on Thrax's shoulder.  Thrax turned around to see Draco.

                "C'mon baby.  Leave them alone.  They've already been beat up enough today and trust me, you'll want them alive.   I mean they are great at what they do, possibly even the best." She said.

                "You mean being royal pains in the ass?"

                "Well they can be, sometimes, but what I meant is that they are the worlds best damn snipers and who knows, their skills may pull your ass out of the water once or twice during this mission.  They've done it for me many times in the past."

                Thrax's eyes softened and he retracted his claw.

                "All right baby, just for you, I won't kill them."

                "Thank you Thrax." Draco said, kissing him on the cheek.  "Alright boys, now that that's been settled, let's saddle up and move out!"

                "Yeah!" The members of Stryker Team Alpha shouted.  Everyone packed up the rest of the gear, loaded it onto their choppers and took off.  Draco and Thrax were in Attack Chopper 1 although this time Thrax was in the pilot's seat.

                "I'm going to teach you how to fly this thing.  The skill may come in handy one day." Draco said from the co-pilot's chair.  "You ready?"

                "You bet I am baby, let's ride." Thrax said starting up the chopper and following Draco's instructions for take off.  The team was on their way.


	6. Invasion

Chapter 6: Invasion 

****

The Forehead 5:00 PM

                When the team arrived at The City of Frank, they found that Zion's calculations were right on the money.  Franks had just recently popped one of his zits and immunity hadn't called in for a scab yet.  The team entered through the opening, being careful not to fly too low so they wouldn't be spotted.  The team arrived unnoticed at the empty warehouse in the liver at about 6:30 PM.  The team landed the choppers and used a large conveyor belt to bring them into the safety of the warehouse.  Phase One had been completed and was a success.  

The Upper Left Arm 6:35 PM

                There was a war raging on inside Frank's body.  A war between the Melanoma Family and the flu shots.  The police had set up a barricade that blocked off the majority of the flow of traffic in the upper left arm.  It has been a long day for the immunity force, as they have had to break up one street war after another.  Currently, the police are dealing with the largest of the street battles so far.  Members of the Melanoma family and Frank Mafia allies have been firing at a group of flu shots from behind a barricade of crates.  The flu shots have been returning fire from behind a line of parked cars.  This battle has gone on for hours and doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon.

                "Man Drix, this thing has been going on forever!"

                "I know Jones but we have to be here to help stop this thing."

                "I know that.  I know that but…"

                "But what Jones?"

                Ozzie didn't answer and began starring off into space. 

                "Ozzie?"  You hoo?  Jones?" Drix said, waving a hand in front of Ozzie's face.

                "What!"

                "You just started staring off into space."

                "I did?"

                "Yeah, you did."

                "Oh."  
                "Jones, what's going on."

                "Nothing.  I just have a bad feeling, that's all."

                "Do you think you can focus?"

                "Yeah man, yeah man, I'm cool!"

                However, in Ozzie's mind, he wasn't cool.  His mind was doing laps on a very small racetrack.  He kept on going over the same things and coming to the same conclusions.  

                "Thrax is dead.  I saw him die with my own eyes.  But if Thrax is dead, then why do I have this really bad feeling that he's still alive?"

                Ozzie's thoughts paused for a second but then he thought about the job at hand and he shook it off.  His bad feeling would have to wait until later, if there was a later that is.

The Liver 6:50 PM

                The team had finished unpacking all of their gear from the choppers including large amounts of explosives, weapons and ammunition as well as money and rations for the team.  The team's personal items were also among the things that were unpacked.  The team also had time to explore the warehouse.  The conclusion that all of the members came to was that is was huge.  The warehouse was so huge that each team member could have their own room, if they so desired.

                The bunking order went as follows: Draco and Thrax decided to share a room.  Rip and Spike also made that decision as well as Raven and Shade.  The rest of the team members had their own rooms.  Xion took his own room because he knew that he would be on his laptop all night.  Demo took his own room since he would be tinkering with some new prototype explosives.  Diego took his own room because he actually wanted to get some sleep.  Finally, Zen took his own room just because he was the spy of the team and being a loner seemed to fit his personality description.

                After the team had set up their rooms to their liking, they dressed in casual clothes and walked out to meet the others in the main room.

                "So Thrax?" Raven said cautiously putting his hand on Thrax's shoulder.

                "What?" Thrax replied in an annoyed tone.

                "Does this city have any night life?"

                "What?"

                "Clubs man.  Night clubs."

                "Oh.  Well it used to but it got iced baby."

                "Iced?"

                "When I was here last, there was this new club called the Zit.  I had my meeting there with my henchmen to lay down my plan for them.  Seems that Jones and his partner had snuck in and decided to crash my party.  During the fight, Jones' partner, Drix, pulled out a grenade and with help from Jones, set it off.  The Zit exploded and iced over.  In other words, it's no more, baby."

                "Damn." Raven said, taking his hand off Thrax's shoulder.

                "Thrax." A voice from a shadowy corner of the room hissed.

                Thrax turned around and saw Zen, holding the latest issue of the Daily Frank.

                "What Zen." Thrax replied.

                "I think they rebuilt your club." Zen said, tossing the paper at Thrax.  As he did, a flyer fell out of the centerfold.  Thrax bent down and picked up the flyer.

                "Well I'll be damned.  It seems that they rebuilt the Zit.  According to this flyer, they made it bigger and better than it was before."

                "Where is it!" Shade yelled in excitement. 

                "Settle down baby.  Settle down.  It says here that the new Zit is located up on the forehead, by the hairline."

                "Yes!" Raven shouted.  "Can we go, commander?"

                Draco smiled.  "Yeah, sure.  I don't see why not and besides, you guys could use a little recreation before we initiate Phase Two of the plan."

                "Boo ya!" Raven and Shade shouted together.

                "A word of warning to all of you."  Draco said coldly.

                The Strykers stopped talking to listen to their commander.

                "Don't get too interested in the girls there.  Just remember what we're here to do.  Also, I'm putting a strict limit on the number of drinks you guys can have.  Tonight's limit is 3 shots or bottles, which ever comes first.  That limit goes for everyone except for Raven and Shade who are limited to 2 since we all remember what happened the last time we went to a club.  Got it?"

                "Yes ma'am!" The Stykers yelled with enthusiasm.

                "Raven, Shade, you guys got it?"

                "Yep." Raven said rubbing the back of his head.  "No problem."

                "We wouldn't want another raving drunken kung fu master incident now would we?" Shade said with a chuckle.

                "Exactly." Draco replied with a grin.

                "There's just one little problem." Thrax interjected.

                "What?" Raven asked.

                "We don't have any wheels baby."

                "Damn it!" Shade shouted.

                "Actually we do." Xion said, holding up a cell phone.  "I called our contact and he hooked us up with ten brand new motor cycles.  They're being delivered as we speak."

                "Great." Draco said.

                A few minutes later the team heard the sound of someone pulling up in front of the warehouse and then dropping off 10 large somethings.  The somethings, being the team's motorcycles.  The team walked outside when they heard the sound of the vehicle pulling away.

                "By the way Xion, who is our contact for this mission?" Draco asked.

                "My older brother Leon.  Leon has connections with thousands of different germ mafias around the country."

                "Ah yes, I remember your brother.  I think I met him once."

                "Yeah, I think you did Draco."

                When they arrived the team saw 10 black, Harley Davidson style motorcycles, each with helmets, parked right in front of the warehouse.  Each member of the team picked out a bike and put their helmets on.  The team started up the bikes and got ready to leave.

                "Zen." Draco said, lifting up the visor to her helmet.

                "Yes?" Zen replied.

                "You remember what we talked about?"

                "Yes, I do."

                "Then go."

                "Right.  I'll meet you all there in about an hour."

                Zen accelerated and pulled away from the group.

                "Where's he going?" Thrax asked.

                "To do a special job for me, that's all." Draco replied.

                "What special job?"

                "You'll see in about an hour." Draco said, putting down her visor and revving her engine.  

"Let's go boys!" She shouted, pulling away from the group.  

"There were cheers and shouts from the team as they followed Draco up to the forehead.

The Zit 9:15 PM

                When a gang of motorcycles arrived the doorman didn't know what to think.  He wasn't sure if he should make them wait in line like everyone else or just let them go in.  He decided to survey them first.  The doorman watched the nine germs take off their helmets.  To him, they all looked mean, especially the two red germs.  The rest of the germs all looked like they were built like rocks and could beat him up pretty bad, even the short one.

                As they walked towards him, he stepped aside to let them through.  He really didn't feel like getting beat up tonight.

                When the Strykers entered the club, they all went their separate ways.  Raven and Shade headed for the dance floor to try to pick up some chicks.  Rip, Spike, Zion and Demo headed towards an empty table so they could order drinks and just talk.  While all of this was going on, Draco, Thrax and Diego took a seat at the bar and ordered a shot of adrenaline. 

                "Hey guys." Diego said.  "How's about a toast, to the success of the mission."

                Diego held up his glass.

                "To the mission!" Draco yelled holding up her glass as well.

                "To the mission and to the death of Osmosis Jones and Frank." Thrax said, completing the toast.

                The three of them each took down their shots in one gulp.

                "That's some strong shit." Diego said.  "I think I'm gonna head over to the dance floor and see how Raven and Shade are doing."

                "Have fun Diego.  Don't steal too many of the ladies or else our snipers might get jealous." Draco said with laugh.

                Diego raised his hand and nodded his head in reply.

                "So Draco, when am I going to find out what this special job is?" Thrax asked.

                "You'll find out when Zen get here in about an hour or so."

                "Are you sure you can't tell me baby?" Thrax said with a smile.

                "Positive." Draco said, touching him in the middle of his face where his nose would be.  "So Thrax, you ever danced before?"

                "Of course I have.  My moves are unmatched baby." Thrax replied smoothly.

                Draco got up off the barstool.  "Well then, let's go baby."

                The current band on stage was Powergerm 5000 playing their hit song "Bombshell".  When Draco and Thrax got onto the dance floor, they started pulling off some amazing dance moves and soon a crowd had formed around them, cheering.  Among the crowd were Raven and Shade who were both holding their first bottle of bile and who each had a hot girl at their side.  Diego was also among the crowd.  He had a small group of "patron" chicks gathered around him.

                At the conclusion of the song, the crowd parted and the band on stage began playing a slow song.  Thrax put his hands around Draco's waist, Draco put her hands on Thrax's shoulders, and the two of them began to slow dance.  At the end of the almost six minute song, Draco and Thrax passionately kissed and then walked off the dance floor and back to the bar.  When they sat down a shadowy figure began to approach them.

                "I got it commander." A voice hissed form behind.  Draco turned around to see Zen, holding something wrapped in a black piece of cloth.

                "Good work Zen.  I hope it wasn't any trouble for you to get."

                "No trouble at all commander.  No trouble at all."

                "No one saw you?"

                "No.  I was in and I was out with out a sound or a clue to alert anyone of my presence."

                "Great.  Now you can enjoy yourself Zen."

                "Thank you commander." Zen replied, sitting down and ordering himself a drink.

                "So now are you going to tell me what that special job was?" Thrax asked, eyeing the package in Draco's hand.

                "Yes, I am going to tell you." Draco said handing him the package.  "After all, this package is for you.  Go on, open it."

                Thrax used his claw to tear away the string that held the package together.  He carefully unwrapped the cloth to reveal an item that he had missed dearly, his DNA bracelet.  Thrax had a stunned expression on his face.

                "How, how did you get this?" He stuttered.

                "Easy." Zen replied, taking a sip of his drink.  "I snuck into the evidence room in the 3rd Precinct and stole it."

                "Thank you." Thrax said with gratitude.

                "Don't thank me.  Thank Draco, it was her idea."

                "Oh don't worry.  I will." Thrax said with a loving smile to Draco.  She knew exactly what he meant and she put her hand on his.

                "Don't forget to add your latest kill to that." Draco said, pointing to Thrax's pocket.

                "Right." Thrax replied, taking out the DNA bead from Shane's hypothalamus and holding it up to his bracelet.  The bracelet engulfed the DNA bead, adding it to Thrax's collection.

                For the rest of the evening Draco and Thrax sat at the bar and talked.  Zen would occasionally join the conversation but most of the time he kept quiet.  At about 12:00 Draco called the guys over to the bar, where they sat for an hour to sober up before driving back to the warehouse where they would discuss Phases Two and Three of the plan.


	7. Hostile Takeover

Chapter 7: Hostile Takeover 

****

                "Okay guys.   Phases Two and Three of the plan are going to be a piece of cake with ice cream on the side." Xion explained.

                Stryker Team Alpha was gathered around a table in the center of the warehouse.  All eyes were focused on Xion. 

                "Okay guys, here's the deal.  Phase Two of the plan isn't overly detailed like my other plans.  I've left this one simple so that you guys could have some fun with this part of the mission, you know, maybe do a little improv.  The basic idea for Phase Two is simple.  All we have to do is infiltrate the brain, block off all entrance ways to the hypothalamus and the mayor's office-"

                "With what?" Thrax interrupted. 

                "Oh, right.  Demo, this is where you come in.  You're going to plant RADIA bombs on the outside of all of the doors and on the inside, a healthy dosage of C4.  I'll let you handle how you want them detonated."

                "Sure thing Xion."

                "Excuse me.  Hold up, just hold up on second here."

                "Yes Thrax?" Xion asked.

                "Would you mind telling me what RADIA bombs are because I kind of feel out of the loop here."

                "You got it.  I'll leave the explanation to our explosives expert.  Take it away Demo."

                "RADIA bombs are of my own invention.  The word RADIA doesn't stand for anything but it is short for Blast Radius Control bombs.   As the name implies, RADIA bombs can be set to explode in any direction and cover any amount of space."

                "I get it now." Thrax said.

                "Good.  Let's move on.  After Demo rigs all of the doors, we're going to obviously have a little bit of fun with this body.  At this point, I've left the paper blank with hopes that Thrax can fill it in."

                "I can.  From that point we'll already be in control of the brain so why not head for the command center?  After we've made sure that everything is secure we'll head for the Mayor's office.  I'd like to pay an old friend a visit." Thrax said with a very evil grin.  "Everything else will come as it comes, no further planning needed baby. As you say Xion, the rest is improv."

                "Right.  Once the brain is secure, we can do really what ever we want and since you're technically in charge of this mission, Thrax, what happens is your call."

                "But I thought Draco was in charge here?" Thrax asked.

                "Not this time.  I'm in charge of the team but what they do and what you want done with this body and all of its cells is your call."

                "So this is like a joint command, right?"

                "You bet baby.  That's exactly what it is."

                "On to Phase Three." Xion said.

                "Right." Draco replied.

                "Phase Three is the getaway.  We'll obviously be using the choppers for that.  On your headset Draco, I've set it so you can remotely start the helicopters and direct them to our coordinates for the pick up." Xion said, handing Draco a very small, one-ear headset.  

                "Thanks Xion." Draco replied.

                "I made one for you too Thrax." Xion said, handing Thrax a headset as well.  "You're part of this mission but whether or not you want to be a permanent part of the team is ultimately your decision."   
                "As I've told Draco, I'm not a team player." Thrax said, looking around at Stryker Team Alpha.  When his eyes landed on Draco, he noticed that she was frowning slightly.  "But, I could get used to it."  Draco's expression changed to a smile.  Some of the members of the team were also smiling.

                "Alright guys," Draco said, clapping her hands and standing up  "I want every one to get some sleep and trust me, you guys are going to need it for tomorrow.  Dismissed."

                The Strykers all got up and headed towards their rooms.  Draco walked up to Xion and put her hand on his shoulder.

                "And Xion."

                "Yes commander?"

                "You especially need to get some rest.  You've done enough for one night.  Okay?"

                "Sure thing Drac.  Good night."

                "Night Xion." Draco said, removing her hand and walking over to Thrax.  Thrax put his arm around her.

                "So we going to sleep tonight or are we…"

                "Maybe for a little while, but you know we need to get some sleep."

                "Right.  For a little while then." Thrax said with a pleased look.

                Draco and Thrax entered their room and the rest of the night, was history.

The Trachea 2:06 AM

                Osmosis Jones returned to his apartment a few minutes passed two o' clock.  The street war had been resolved and The Chief had allowed him to come home.  After realizing what kind of shape Ozzie was in, The Chief gave Ozzie the next day off.  

                Osmosis didn't even bother to change his clothes.  He just threw off his jacket, gun holster and shoes while walking to his bedroom.  He slumped down onto the bed and drifted off into a deep sleep, blissfully unaware of the chaos that was about to unfold later that day.

The Liver 9:00 AM

                The team was fully awake now.  They had been so for the passed two hours.  All of them were fully decked out in their mission attire, weapons and all.  The plan for infiltration was simple.  They would enter the brain and kill anyone who got their way.  Originally, Xion had opted for the usual sneak in undetected plan but he had changed his mind after Thrax said that just going in and killing people would be a lot more fun and in some instances, easier.

                The team had packed their extra gear in the five choppers and had left the warehouse with out a word.  They cruised through Frank's veins and arteries on their ten black Harleys until they arrived at their destination, the brain.

The Brain Stem 12:00 PM

                The sentry who was posted at the guard station had little time to react as a shower of bullets and the ominous roar of engines entered his workspace.  The guard dove down and covered his head as a waterfall of glass fell upon him.  The guard had no time to sound the alarm because as soon as he stood up he saw an assault rifle pointed at his head and the grin of the germ holding it.  That was the last thing that he ever saw.  The germ on the Harley opened fire and as he did the bullets ripped through the guard's body, splattering his blood all over the walls of the guard station.

                The group of bikers laughed as they sped towards the entrance to City Hall.  On the way, armed guards jumped out in front of them, weapons raised in an attempt to stop them.  The guards were mowed down and then ran over, creating bloody tire marks in the road leading to City Hall.

                Upon reaching the entrance of City Hall, the black Harleys stopped.  Suddenly a group of more heavily armed guards came running out the doors.  They opened fire on the team.  As they did, the team revved their engines and rode their bikes up the stairs, plugging the guards full of holes from their own weapons.  The team burst through the doors, shooting at every living thing they could see.  The screams of their victims echoed through the hallowed halls of the brain.  Bodies flew from every direction, landing on the ground with a deafening splat.  Blood flowed form the wounds of the dead bodies, creating many puddles all over the floor.  

                The team parked their Harleys, got off and took their helmets off their heads.  Raven and Shade posed for the security camera before shooting it.  Pieces of the camera fell to the floor as the camera exploded into tiny pieces.

                "Okay boys, you know the drill.  Get into those elevators and start clearing the path upstairs.  After you've accomplished that, we need Demo to set the explosives, got it?" Draco asked.

                "Yes ma'am!" The team shouted, giving their commander a salute.  Demo also did so and patted his duffel bag, which rested at his side.

                The team filed into the elevators and rode them up to the next floor.  When the doors opened the team split up into different hallways and Demo went to the doors to begin setting the explosives.  Draco and Thrax went down the hallway that would lead to the Hypothalamus and farther down, to the mayor's office.  The rest of the team separated into their usual groups.  The order was as follows: Raven and Shade, Diego and Xion, Rip and Spike and finally, Demo and Zen.  Each group would report in when they had cleared their hallways.  For each hallway, Xion had given it a sector.

Sector 1- Elevators and Connecting Hallway

                This was the hallway in which the team had entered the upper floor on.  There were no guards, which gave Demo an opportunity to rig his explosives.  Demo sealed each of the elevator doors shut using a blowtorch and then he planted one C4 cellular plastic explosive on each door.  The explosives would be set off if one of the doors were forced open.  After completing that task, and radioing in to Draco that he had done so, Demo moved on to the next sector.  Zen followed with his M4 assault carbine drawn and ready.

Sector 2- Subconscious and Connecting Hallways

                There were several guards posted in this sector.  As Rip and Spike moved through Sector 2, they opened fired on anything that moved.  The pencil shaped bullets of their heavy machine guns ripped through anything in their paths.  The bodies of the guards moved in accordance with the way that the bullets impacted their bodies.  They looked like a willow tree in a hurricane.  The two brothers laughed as the bodies of their victims fell onto the cold floor.  They radioed in when they had killed all of the guards in their sector. 

                Moments after they had, Demo and Zen entered Sector 2 to complete their jobs.  Demo walked to the end each of the hallways, planting a RADIA bomb on the outside of each door he came to and a few C4s on the inside.  Demo radioed in when Sector 2 was secure.

Sector 3- Memory Vaults and Connecting Hallway

                This part of the brain was relatively unguarded, save for the two guards that patrolled the hallway and the librarian who worked The Brain Memory Library.  When the two guards saw the intruders they gave their usual "stop right there" speeches.  Diego and Xion laughed during the speech and allowed the guards to finish before opening fire on them with their assault rifles.  The guards screamed and coughed blood before falling to the floor.  

                The librarian heard the noise and came out of her office only to ripped to shreds by a barrage of oncoming rifle fire.  Her blood splattered against the wall behind her and then pooled into her office.  Diego and Xion radioed in.  Demo and Zen arrived moments after.  Once Demo had completed his task, he radioed in as well.

Sector 4- Hypothalamus Gland and Connecting Hallway

                The security in this area of the brain was high.  There were four guards stationed on the inside of the Hypothalamus gland, two guards outside the door, two more in the center of the hallway and four more near the end.  Raven and Shade used the upper hallway to gain access to the Hypothalamus gland while Draco and Thrax distracted and dealt with the guards outside.

                When the four guards at the end of the hallway saw Draco and Thrax, they panicked and began to open fire on the pair.  Draco and Thrax's bodies were covered by flames that engulfed the bullets, rendering the guard's assault helpless.  Draco fire blasted two of the guards into ash while Thrax used the conventional method of slashing them with his claw.  The pair simply walked passed the two guards in the middle of the hallway and as they did, the flames on their bodies leapt onto the guards.  The two guards ran around the hallway, screaming as their bodies boiled and began to burn.  They eventually fell to the ground and writhed around in pain before letting out a final, helpless scream before dying.

                The two guards at the end of the hallway dropped their weapons, screamed and tried to run away but Thrax and Draco each fired a fireball that automatically incinerated the guards, turning them into a still burning pile of black ash.

                Inside the chaos was as equally great.  Raven and Shade had positioned themselves on the upper catwalk and began to open fire on the four guards below.  When one of the snipers hit a target, their heads exploded from the force of the bullet impact.  It took each sniper one shot per guard to end his life.  The two techies in the room met the same, gruesome fate.  The two snipers stood up and saluted Thrax and Draco as they entered the room.

                "Sector 4 clear ma'am, and sir." Shade said with a smile.

                "Great work you guys." Draco said to the two snipers.  

                "Like shooting a chickenpock with its head cut off." Raven said with a laugh.

                "Great. Now all we have to do is wait for Demo to get here and-" Thrax said, getting cutoff.

                "Already here." Demo said, entering the room.  "I've got all sectors rigged so far."

                "Excellent.  I'm assuming that the police know that we're here?" Thrax asked.

                "Yessss…  I would assume so." Zen hissed in reply.

                "More party guests!" Raven shouted.

                "Exactly." Thrax said, snapping his fingers.  "And we wouldn't want to disappoint them by not having the party in full swing now would we?"

                "No we wouldn't." Shade agreed.

                "Good.  You two stay here in Sector 4.  Draco and I will move on to Sector 5 to go pick up our guests of honor."

                "I'm all done commander." Demo said, showing Draco his work.

                Draco smiled and gave Demo a thumbs up.  "Demo, you can move back to Sector 1."

                "Shall I accompany him?" Zen asked from the corner of the room.

                "Yeah.  Radio back in when you two arrive. Got that?"

                "Got it commander." Demo said with a salute.

                Demo and Zen left the room and headed for Sector 1.

                "You two hold down the fort while we're gone." Draco said to Raven and Shade who were still positioned on top of the catwalk.

                "Gotcha covered Drac." Raven said.

                "Report in every hour, on the hour.  We'll be in Sector 5."

                "No problem commander." Shade acknowledged. 

                "You two have fun now." Raven said with a sly grin.

                "Oh we will.  We will." Thrax replied as he walked out of Sector 4 and into Sector 5.  Draco followed behind him.

Sector 5- Office Block and Connecting Hallways

                The door to Sector 5 had been locked from the inside.  Apparently, the office workers didn't want the intruders to get inside.  It really didn't matter much to the two viruses who were standing outside the door because they knew that one little locked door wasn't going to stop them.  

                Draco raised her deadly claw and slashed through the locked door.  The door melted where Draco's claw had touched it.  Through the newly created opening there were three armed guards, weapons raised and shaking like crazy.

                Thrax walked towards the guards.  "Boo."

                The guards jumped out of their skins and dropped their weapons.  Thrax and Draco both laughed an eerie laugh together.  Draco walked up to the guards and twirled her claw around in one of the guard's hair.

                "Aw, c'mon baby." She said.  "I don't bite, much."

                Draco's claw burned hot orange and the scream of the guard echoed though the room as he began to incinerate, from the head down.  Thrax proceeded on to kill of some of the innocent office workers as Draco killed the rest of the guards.

                When Thrax came upon the first office, he found that the door was locked.  Thrax kicked the door down and entered the office.  He found no one in the room.  He was about to leave when he heard a sound coming from under the desk.  Thrax grinned and walked over to the desk.  He saw nothing until he bent down and looked under the desk.  Sitting in a fetal position was a very frightened office worker.

                "Hello." Thrax said, reaching his right hand under the desk and pulling out the terrified cell by his neck.  Thrax raised his deadly claw into the air.  "And goodbye." 

                He was about to kill the cell when he heard Draco yelling from outside the room.  "Thrax!"

                Thrax turned his head and replied, "What?  Baby, can't you see I'm a little busy here?!?"

                "Yeah I can see that but for now leave the office cells alone!"

                "What?  Why!"

                "I'm assuming that the cells here have families and family members always make good bargaining chips if we get into a tight spot."

                "Fine." Thrax said with a hint of disappointment in his voice.  Thrax let the cell go and as he did the terrified cell crawled back under his desk.  Thrax left the room and closed the door with disapproval.

                "You know baby, I was about to kill him.  Couldn't you have told me this before I got all excited?"

                "Sorry but I didn't think of it until now.  Anyway you can go work on the door to the Mayor's office while I give the team a call."

                "Alright." Thrax said giving Draco a kiss on the cheek and walking over to the Mayor's door.

                "Strykers, listen up!" Draco said though her headset.  "I'm going to re-position you to better fit our current plan of action.  I need Demo to come up to Sector 5 with all of his equipment.  Zen will stay in Sector 1.  Spike and Xion also need to come to Sector 5 with all of their gear as well.  As for the rest of you, stay in your currently assigned sectors and report in as planned. Over and out."

                Then Draco switched the frequencies on her headset.  "Spike, do you copy, over."

                "I copy loud and clear commander. Over."

                "I need to you round up all of the office workers in Sector 5 and keep an eye on them.  We're keeping them as hostages.  Over."

                "You got it commander. Over."

                "Alright then.  Draco over and out."  Draco said as she turned off her head set and walked over to Thrax who was standing in a now open doorway.

                "Time to party." Thrax said, entering the room.

                Inside the room were two desks.  At each desk sat a cell.  At the larger desk sat the newly elected Mayor, Tom Colonic.  Clonic was not a familiar face to Thrax and he quickly drew his attention to the female cell working at the second desk in the room.  This cell was Miss Leah Estrogen, aid to the Mayor.  Thrax knew her as Osmosis Jones' girlfriend and perhaps his most valuable bargaining chip.

                "Hi baby." Thrax said with a wide grin.  He walked toward her with his arms out.  He put his hands on the desk and leaned close to her.  "You miss me?"

                "Thrax." Leah said, astonished.

                "I'd put the phone receiver down if I were you." Thrax said, placing his hand over hers and putting the receiver down just as the operator answered the call.  "Wouldn't want to ruin the big surprise, now would we baby?"

                "You're going to kill Frank, aren't you?" Leah asked in a frightened tone of voice.

                "Of course Leah and I'm going to kill your boyfriend, Jones too."

                "NO!" She cried and got up out of her chair.

                "Yes." 

                "No, you can't."

                "I can and I will, now sit down."

                Leah did as she was told.

                "What's the meaning of this!" The Mayor yelled from the other side of the room.

                Thrax walked in front of his desk and brandished his deadly claw.

                "Why can't you see it?  We're taking over Frank and there's nothing you can do about it."

                Tom Clonic punched the call button on his desk and spoke into a microphone.

                "Guards!  Help, we need help!"

                The voice that answered was cold and dark.  "They're all dead.  Please try again later."  The voice belonged to Zen.

                "Dead?  All of them!" The Mayor yelled in fear.

                "Yeah.  We took them all down." Thrax said smoothly, cutting his hand horizontally through the air in front of him.  "And trust me, baby, we're just getting started."


	8. Frank Under Siege

Chapter 8: Frank Under Siege 

****

The Trachea 2:32 PM

                Ozzie's apartment was bombarded by the constant ringing of the telephone.  Ozzie himself was still asleep but after several rings of the telephone he opened his eyes and rolled over to his nightstand.

                "Hello?" Ozzie said groggily into the receiver.

                "Osmosis!" The chief yelled.

                "Hey Chiefy Weefy, what time is it?"

                "It's time for you to get your butt out off bed and into the office."

                "Wha?  No way.  It's my day off today, remember?"

                "Yeah I remember, I gave it to you didn't I?  Ozzie, we have an emergency."

                "An emergency." Ozzie said, sitting up.  "What kind of an emergency?"

                "The worst kind.  Frank's under siege.  I'll explain it to you when you get there.  Meet me up at the brain stem as soon as possible.  Now get going!"

                "You got it.  I'll be right there." Ozzie said getting out of bed and grabbing his car keys.

The Brain Stem 3:00 PM

                When Osmosis Jones arrived, he found that the brain stem was swarming with immunity officers.  There were tents set up all over the grounds and SPIT choppers patrolled the skies.  Ozzie saw The Chief under one of the tents and he ran over.

                "Yo Chief, what's the dilly?"

                "Sit down Osmosis."

                Osmosis Jones pulled up a chair and sat down in front of a TV screen.

                "At about noon today," The Chief began.  "A group of about ten germs, possibly viruses, broke into the brain, killed all of the guards and took it over.  As of now, we have not heard any word from them but we know that they have the entire upper floor of the brain around the hypothalamus blocked off with explosives."

                "Do we have any idea who's behind this?"

                "No.  We don't have a clue.  Some of the security cameras picked up some useful footage that we have compiled together on this tape." The Chief said, putting the videotape into the VCR slot and pressing PLAY.

                Osmosis Jones put his feet up on the back of another chair and watched with great interest.

                The video began by showing ten germs pulling up on black Harleys and shooting the guard in the main guard station before moving on to mow down and kill a whole group of guards outside of the entrance to City Hall.  The videotape then cut to the inside of City Hall and showed the bikers driving into it and killing everyone inside.  The tape then goes into a few seconds of static and comes back on two of the assailants doing a pose in front of the camera before shooting it.  That was the end of the tape.

                "So that's all we got?"

                "Yeah, that's all.  It seems that they cut off power to the security systems after they got inside."

                "What else do we know?"

                "We know that they are holding the mayor, as well as several others, hostage.  They haven't contacted us with their demands yet."

                "Great just great."

                "And Jones." The Chief added putting a hand on Ozzie's shoulder.  "They have Leah too."

                Ozzie looked down at the floor.

                "Drix is with one of our special response teams surveying the damage inside the first floor of City Hall.  Why don't you go join him?  We'll contact you if anything comes up."

                "Alright." Ozzie said bouncing up from his chair and walking out of the tent toward City Hall.

City Hall 3:09 PM

                The damages done to the first floor of City Hall were extensive.  Everything was either totally destroyed or damaged in some way.  When Ozzie arrived, he saw some cells carrying out black body bags.  According to the EMTs who were on the scene, the body count so far was about thirty.  Ozzie grimaced when he heard it.

                "Hey Jones."

                "Hey Drix." Ozzie said, putting his hands in his pockets.

                "Looks like they cleaned out this floor pretty good."

                "Yeah and who knows what else they've done.  I mean they're up there." Ozzie said, taking one of his hands out of his pocket to point to the elevators.

                Suddenly a heavily armored cell came running up to Jones.

                "You Osmosis Jones?"

                "Yeah, that's me."

                "Well I'm supposed to report to you, right?"

                "Yeah.  Um, I guess so.  What's up?"

                "Well I'm with the Bomb Squad and I though that you might want an update on our current situation."

                "Spill it."                

                "Well it looks as if we're dealing with professionals.  On the outside of the elevator doors they've installed some sort of bomb that we've never come across before.  On the inside of each door, we believe there to be large amounts of C4."

                "Great. Can you disarm them?"

                "That's a negative.  If we try to disarm the one on the outside it will automatically detonate and kill us all.  It seems that it's hooked up to detonate once the outer shell has been breached."

                "What about the ones on the inside?"

                "Also a negative.  Those C4 are rigged to explode when we force the door open, which we would have to do to get at them."

                "Wonderful." Ozzie said rolling his head to the side.  "Do you have a talkie by any chance?  I gotta relay this info to the Chief."

                "Yeah sure." The Bomb Squad Officer replied, handing Ozzie his walkie-talkie.

                Osmosis pressed the button on the side and spoke into the receiver.

                "Yo Chief, you there?"

                "Yeah, I'm here Jones, what's our situation up there."

                "Not good and lookin worse."

                "How so?"

                "Seems as if all of the bombs that are wired to the doors will explode if the bomb squad even makes a small attempt to disarm them.  There's no way up to the second floor unless we go though those bombs."

                "Damn."

                "The only other way in that I can think of is by chopper but-"

                "But we have no idea who or what we're dealing with and what their intentions are and until we know that are chances of making a successful entry are slim to none."

                "Right."

                "We're going to wait a few hours and see of the boys upstairs try to contact us.  Until then don't do anything Jones.  Got it?"

                "Yeah I got it."   

                "I'm very serious about this.  If one of us screws up, it could be the end of Frank."

                "I told you, I got it Chief." Osmosis said turning off the walkie-talkie and shoving it in his coat pocket.  The Chief was right, he would have to wait but he knew that it wouldn't be easy since waiting was the hardest thing for him to do.

Sector 5- Mayor's Office 3:32 PM

                The blinds in The Mayor's office had been pulled down over the windows.  Thrax was looking through one set of blinds by separating two blinds with his fingers.  He saw a SPIT chopper pass by and he allowed the blinds to close and turned around.  Thrax then began to pace around the room.

                "Thrax, would you sit down and relax." Draco said placing a hand on his shoulder.  "We have everything under control."

                "I know, I know baby it's just that-"

                "It's just that you can't help but think that something is going to go wrong, is that it?"

                "Yeah, I guess so." Thrax said, sitting down on a couch on the far side of the room.  Draco sat beside him.

                "Don't worry baby.  Everything is under control.  I'll deal with the next part and you take it from there okay?"

                "Alright." Thrax agreed, putting his feet up on the back of a chair.

                Moments later Xion and Demo arrived in The Mayor's office with all of their gear.

                "We're here commander." Xion said putting down his two bags full of equipment.

                "Are these our special guests?" Demo asked setting his duffel bag by one of the windows.

                "Yep." Draco replied standing up.  "Allow me to introduce you to Mayor Clonic and his assistant, Leah."

                "Very nice to meet you." Demo said to the two hostages.

                "I wouldn't want to be rude Mr. Mayor so I'm going to introduce you to some of my boys here." Draco said walking over to the Mayor and leaned down on the desk.

                "The guy over there who is setting up all of that computer equipment is the team's strategist and computer technician, Xion.  The short guy with the red braid is Demo.  Demo is the one responsible for rigging your City Hall with all kinds of nice explosives." 

                Demo smiled and waved at The Mayor.

                "Who are you guys?" Leah asked from her desk.

                "Who are we?" Draco said turning to face Leah.  "We are Stryker Team Alpha, the greatest viral attack force on the planet.  That's who we are."

                "Then what are you doing here?"

                "Well Miss Leah, we're here to kill this body, obviously." Draco answered with a sneer.

                "Hey commander!" Xion yelled.

                "Yeah Xion?"

                "I'm all set up.  I can monitor any and all police communications from here.  Anything special that you want me to tap into?"

                "Yes, monitor the communications made to and by The Chief."

                "Sure thing.  Anything else?"

                "Yeah.  Monitor all of the communications made by and to the SPIT choppers that are currently in the air."

                "Okay.  No problem." Xion replied looking at his computer screen .

                "Now, as we were saying before we were interrupted." Draco continued.  "Are there any other questions you might have Miss Leah?"

                "Yeah." Leah said standing up out of her chair.  "Why are YOU here?"

                "Why am I here?  I am here because my team is here.  I am here because I find this a lot of fun and I wanted to be here.  But the main reason that I am here is because the virus that I love is here and wanted to do this."  There was a smile from Thrax as Draco said this.  Draco walked back over to the couch and sat beside Thrax.  Draco rested her head on Thrax's shoulder.

                "No way." Leah said in disbelief.

                "Yes way.  I met him on my last and final mission before our group went free lance.  I almost killed him while attempting to follow mission protocol but then, after spending some more time with him I realized that I had fallen in love with him.  Thrax and I pulled off a very important kill together before getting the team and coming here."

                "You did it." Leah said walking over to the couch where Thrax and Draco were seated.  "It was you.  You killed Shane!"

                "Well there she goes and spoils the surprise." Thrax said with an irritated sigh.

                There was a look of horror on Leah's face as Demo escorted her back to her desk chair.

                "How could you have!" She shouted at Thrax.  "You were dead!"

                "Well almost baby.  Almost but I managed to cheat death and come back to a better life." Thrax replied, grinning as he reached into his coat and pulled out is DNA bracelet.   Thrax squeezed one of the DNA beads, got up off the couch and put it in front of Leah's face.  

                "No!" Leah cried as she buried her head into her hands and began to weep.

                "You monsters!" The Mayor yelled, getting up from his chair.

                "I'd sit down if I were you Clonic or else you may find yourself experiencing the same fate as your guards." Thrax snarled, pointing his deadly claw at The Mayor.  Tom Clonic sat back down in his chair with a bitter look of hatred on his face.

                "I think it's time to give the immunity force a little wake up call." Thrax said, turning on his headset.

                "No, Thrax let me do it.  They already know your voice." Draco warned.

                "You're right baby, you make the call."

                "Sure." Draco said turning on her headset.  "Patch me through Xion."

                "With pleasure commander, with pleasure."

Immunity Force Command Tent 3:48 PM

                The telephone in the command tent began to ring.  Everyone who was in the tent at the time stopped what he or she was doing immediately.  There was silence in the tent as The Chief picked up the telephone and spoke into the receiver.

                "Hello?"

                "Hello." An unfamiliar voice said form the other end.  The voice spoke in a serious tone and belonged to a female.  The chief signaled one of the officers in the tent to begin recording the call.

                "To whom may I have the pleasure of speaking too?"

                "You may call me The Black Dragon for now." The voice replied.

                "Alright Black Dragon, tell me, are you in charge of the group that attacked and took over City Hall?"

                "Yes." The voice answered.

                "Now that I know I'm speaking to the right person, I'd like to know a few things."

                "Like what?"

                "Like how many hostages you have for instance?"

                "We have about 22 hostages.  They are all office workers and most of them have families.  If you would like I'll have one of my men send you a list of names."

                "Yes, that would be fine.  Are all of the hostages all right?"

                "They are, for now." The voice replied grimly.  "They will continue to be fine unless you're people try to do anything stupid."

                "We are aware that The Mayor and his aid are among those hostages.  Are they safe?"

                "Yes, they are safe." There was a pause.  "But we will do them considerable harm if you do not turn off that tape recorder."

                The Chief gasped a bit and signaled the recorder to be turned off.

                "And yes, we are aware of what is going on down there."

                "What are your demands?"

                "As of now, we have none but as the day goes on the need for demands may arise.  All you need to worry about is doing something stupid, like attempting to disarm our bombs.  Doing so may result in the untimely death of a few innocents."

                "No, we won't try anything like that."

                "Good because as of now I am completely in control.  I will contact you later and remember, we are watching you." The voice said coldly as the line went dead.

                "Damn!" The Chief yelled as he slammed the telephone down on the table.  "Get me Jones!"

City Hall 4:00 PM

                "Hello?" Ozzie said into his walkie-talkie.  "Hey Chief, whaz up?"

                "I just finished a conversation with the leader of the group who's currently in charge of things upstairs."

                "Wha'd he say?"

                "Not he Oz, she."

                "She?"

                "Yeah, she.  She said that her group is holding about 22 hostages, including The Mayor and Leah."

                "Are they alright?"

                "Yeah, for now anyway."

                "What do you mean for now?"

                "She said that they were safe as long as we didn't try to do anything stupid."

                "What exactly does she consider stupid?"

                "She said not to try and disarm the bombs because that would result in the loss of innocent life."

                "You mean they'll kill hostages."

                "Yeah."

                "So what do we do?"

                "We wait Jones, we do nothing but wait."

                "Great, just great."  Ozzie said, turning off his walkie-talkie.


	9. Countermeasures

Chapter 9: Countermeasures 

                After his conversation with The Chief, Osmosis decided to walk back over to the command tent.  He needed to try to get The Chief to take action against what now Ozzie referred to as terrorists.  When Ozzie arrived, he found The Chief arguing with the cells in charge of the Bomb Squad team.

                "No we can not just blow open the doors!  They'll kill off the hostages if we try and take action!"

                "Chief, we can't just stand here and do nothing!  People get killed in this business but if having a few get killed to save a few billion, then I'm for it."

                "I understand that but as of now we have no idea who is even up there and what their true intentions really are."

                "Well then, I think that it's time we found out." Ozzie interrupted, walking over to the table. 

                "Jones, I thought I told you to stay put."

                "Well I'm tired of waiting Chief.  I agree with the Bomb Squad guy."

                "I do too Jones but I don't think that the time to act is at hand."

                "When will it be then, huh?  When will it be?  Do we have to wait for them to start killing off the hostages or would you rather wait until Leah and the Mayor are dead too?"

                "Jones!" The Chief yelled, slamming his fist down on the table.  "I am in charge here and if I say we're not going to try anything now then we ARE NOT!"

                "Alright Chief, alright, we won't try anything, at least not yet." 

                "Good.  We'll wait a little bit longer and if we don't find out who they are in the next few hours, then we'll try something."

                "Fine." Osmosis said with a sigh.  Ozzie pulled up a chair, put his feet up on top of the table and began to wait.

The Mayor's Office 4:45 PM

                "As of now, Frank PD has not released any further information on the situation still going on at the brain.  The information that authorities have given us is a very small amount.  FPD believes that the group of ten germs, possibly viruses have taken over the whole upper section of the brain around the Hypothalamus, including The Mayor's office.  There are approximately 22 hostages including The Mayor and his aid.  Names of the hostages are to be released at around 5:00 PM." The NNN announcer said.

                "You ready Thrax?" Xion asked from behind his computer screen.

                "You bet." Thrax replied.

                Thrax was standing in front of a black background that had been hung on the wall behind him.   He was standing in front of a camera that was hooked up to Xion's computer.

                "Are we all hooked up Xion?" Draco asked from behind the camera.

                "Yeah.  I'm all set to intercept NNN's TV signals.  After I press this button we have five seconds before all of the TV screens and radios in Frank are tuned into our broadcast."

                "Great.  Let's do it."

                "Quiet on the set!" Demo shouted while pointing a gun at Tom Clonic and Leah.

                "Here we go." Xion said, pressing a button on his computer.  "Okay, Thrax you're on in five, four three-" Xion finished the rest of the countdown with his fingers, mouthing the numbers two and one.

                "Good evening Frank." Thrax said into the camera.

                When the cells in Frank saw Thrax or heard his voice, Frank nearly had a heart attack.  Except for the highways, almost all of the activity in Frank had stopped.  Inside the command tent, The Chief had spit out his coffee and Ozzie had fallen off his chair.

                "I'm sure that all of you cells have been listening to the news and are aware of the situation going on inside the brain.  At the moment, I am broadcasting from inside The Mayor's office.  Myself and a team of nine elite viruses have taken over and are in complete and total control.  I thought that Frank would like to know what he is now up against.  I have made myself public for that reason.  You fools thought that your "hero" Osmosis Jones had killed me." Thrax waved one of his claws back and forth in the air.  "You were all wrong.  All Jones did by letting me fall into that beaker of alcohol was make me stronger and more powerful than before.  Oh and Jones, just to let you know, I kept my promise to you."

                Back at the command tent Osmosis mouthed the word "No." and stared at the screen in terror and surprise.

                "That's right Jones.  You remember my little promise, don't you?" Thrax said holding up his bracelet and squeezing the DNA bead that belonged to his latest victim.  "That's right Jones, I did it.  I killed Shane."

                Inside the command tent, Osmosis Jones screamed as several tears began to roll down his face and onto the ground.  Ozzie put his hand up against the TV screen and it slid down as his body went to the floor.  "You bastard." He said through the tears.  "You bastard."

                Inside Frank, nearly every cell began to cry for Shane.

                "But that was in the past." Thrax went on tossing his bracelet up in the air and catching it.  "As of now I'd like to play a little game with the FPD.  I'm going to give them two hours, say the next two hours to make a move on us or I'll kill twenty of the hostages.  Until then, _adios amigos."  Thrax grinned and then went off the air._

                "Bravo, bravo." Draco said, clapping for Thrax.  Xion and Demo were doing the same.  "Magnificent performance baby."

                "Thank you." Thrax replied, taking a bow.  "And what did our audience think?"

                "You're a sick bastard." Tom Clonic said from his chair.

                "Flattery will get you killed Mr. Mayor." Thrax replied with a grin.  Thrax then walked over to Leah and stood next to her.  "What was your opinion on my performance baby?"

                "You're.., You're…just playing with them." Leah stuttered.  "You're going to kill everyone anyway.  You're just playing with them."

                "So true and I'm really enjoying this game.  Especially because, we're winning." He hissed into her ear.  "The game's not over yet but for now, it's the other player's turn and all we have to do it sit back, relax and wait for them to make their move."  Thrax said, walking back over to the couch and sitting down.

                Draco was standing behind Xion and looking over his shoulder as he showed her the security cameras on the upper floor which have now been turned on.

                "All's quiet commander."

                "I can see that but it's too quiet for my taste.  They will try something soon.  Keep monitoring their communications Xion.  Tell me if anything comes up."

                "Will do commander.  Will do."

                Draco walked to the middle of the room and put her hand to her earpiece as the rest of the team reported in.

Command Tent 5:02 PM

                "You okay Jones?" The Chief asked, putting his hand on Ozzie's shoulder.

                "Yeah.  I'm okay, just saw something on the floor, that's all." Osmosis said getting up off the floor and wiping his eyes.  "I just can't believe that Thrax is alive."

                "I know, none of us can."

                "Are we going to try and blow the elevator doors now?"

                "Yeah Jones, we are.  Get me the Bomb Squad."

                Moments later the FPD Bomb Squad arrived inside the command tent.

                "Okay boys and girls.  We're going to have to activate those bombs somehow so we can blow a hole and gain entry to the second floor.  Any ideas?"

                "I do." The Bomb Squad leader said.

                "What is it?" The Chief asked.

                "I can stick a remote detonator to the bomb on the outside of the door.  When we blow it, it should set off a chain reaction and blow all of the bombs inside the doors as well.  We won't loose any men this way."

                "Yeah but we will loose hostages." Ozzie commented.

                "I know that." The Chief acknowledged.  "Thrax is pushing us to take action and you and I both know that hostages will die either way.  I think that they will kill less if we try and make a move instead of waiting out the two hours and watching them kill twenty."

                "I guess so but to me it sounds like Thrax isn't the only one in charge.  That woman you spoke too said that she was the leader right Chief?"

                "Yeah.  What are you getting at Ozzie?"

                "Well all I'm trying to say is that we know Thrax and what he is capable of doing but we know nothing about the woman.  What if she decides to kill off all of the hostages anyway even after we accept and carry out Thrax's threat?  I mean to them the lives of a few cells mean nothing."

                "That's true Jones."

                "And we don't have any idea what kind of relationship these two have.  Is one commanding the other or are they working together on this one?"

                "I don't know Jones but if we don't try something we may never find out and we have to get back in this game because as of right now, the viruses upstairs are holding all of the winning cards."

                "I know." Ozzie replied, shifting his attention to the Bomb Squad Leader.  "When can you blow it?"

                "We can do right now if you want Mr. Jones."

                Osmosis looked at The Chief and he nodded his head.  "Do it."

                "Yes sir!" 

                The FPD Bomb Squad headed back towards City Hall to set up and execute their plan.

                "You'd better go with them Jones."

                "Right Chief."

City Hall, Elevators 5:15 PM

                "We're all set to blow." The Bomb Squad Leader said to Jones, handing him the remote.  "All you have to do is push that button."

                "All I have to do is push the button." Ozzie repeated.

                "Yes sir but I would recommend you stepping behind this barricade before you do so."

                "Right." Ozzie said walking behind the blast barricade.  "Fire in the hole you big viral bastards."

                Osmosis Jones pushed the red button on the remote control and the remote charge exploded, taking the other explosives on the elevator doors with it.

Sector 1- Elevators 5:15 PM, 10 seconds prior

                Zen was standing by the elevator doors checking the ammunition on his assault carbine when the doors blew.  Zen was sent backwards into a wall as pieces of the elevator doors came upon him.  The large pieces came first, then the small.  Zen was hit hard with one half of the elevator door before the blast reached the rest of the explosives.  He ducked down and put his arms over his head.  The piece of door in front of him acted like a shield, protecting him from the second, third and forth blasts.  The only damage he sustained was from the first explosion but Zen couldn't tell how badly.  

                He stayed behind the door until the final pieces of shrapnel and debris had landed on the floor.  Zen kicked the door away and looked down at himself.  The lower half of his body was fine except for the fact that his combat suit was burnt and had tiny pieces of shrapnel all over it.  Zen's chest area was okay except for maybe a few bruises.  His left arm was fine except for a few cuts and scrapes but his right arm had taken a lot of damage.  He couldn't move it at all, it was all bloody, and had pieces of the elevator door driven into it.  He hadn't sustained any burns except for on that one arm.  He put his left hand to his forehead and found blood when he took it away.  Zen couldn't see anything out of his right eye except for red.  Zen closed his eye, picked up his M4, and put his left hand over his right arm.  Zen then walked over to the hole that used to be the elevator and looked down the shaft.

Elevators 5:17 PM

                There were four teams of heavily armed Special Forces officers stationed and ready at the base of each elevator shaft.  After getting the okay from Ozzie and the Bomb Squad crew, they began to ascend the shafts via grappling hook.  In the second elevator shaft, the team saw a green germ, bloodied and beaten by the explosions, standing at the top of the shaft.

Sector 1, Elevators 5:18 PM

                Zen saw the ascending team and grinned. 

                "Take this you little fuckers." He said vengefully, taking a hand grenade off his combat suit, pulled the pin with his teeth and tossed it down the shaft.  Zen stood back from the shaft and shielded his body with the broken elevator door.  There were screams from the second shaft as the grenade went off and killed everyone inside.  The blast ripped through the two adjacent shafts killing most and injuring a few that were in it.

                Zen dropped the door, grabbed his wounded arm and trudged to the end of the hallway to the door that would lead him to Sector 2. 

Sector 2- Subconscious 5:22 PM 

                When Spike heard the blast from inside Sector 1, he came running, weapon raised, to the door.  After inserting a special card that would temporarily disarm the bombs on the door, he entered.  When the door opened, he saw Zen staggering towards him.  Zen had blood streaming down his face and one eye was closed.  Zen's right arm was dripping blood onto the floor.

                "Zen, what happened?"

                "Those bastards blew the doors and I was caught off guard." Zen replied, wincing a little bit.  "How bad does it look?"

                "Pretty bad.  I'm going to take you to Sector 5 so that Rip and I can fix you up."

                "Sounds great." 

                Spike put his arm around Zen to give him a little support as he led him to Sector 5.  The door to Sector 2 closed and the bombs reactivated after Spike reinserted his card. 

Sector 5- Mayor's Office 5:30 PM

                "Spike, what's up?" Draco asked speaking into her headset. 

                "Sector 1's been breached commander and Zen's been injured."

                "What?" Draco asked with concern.

                "Yeah, his arm's all torn up.  He can't move it.  He can't see out of his right eye and his forehead's been cut open.  I think that Rip and I can save his eye.  His arm will heal on it's own."

                "You think he'll be okay?"

                "He should be fine.  Rip and I have set up a makeshift infirmary in one of the offices.  Rip's in there now working on Zen."

                "I'm coming down there." Draco said, cutting off the communication.  "I'm going down to the offices."

                "What happened?" Thrax asked from the couch.

                "Zen was injured when the other team made their move Thrax." Draco said with a serious expression.

                Draco turned to Xion.

                "Why didn't we know about this?"

                "We knocked out the cameras in that area during our initial attack and the FPD wasn't using any of their communications devices so I was unable to monitor them."

                "Fuck." Draco said angrily.  "I'll be back in a little bit.  You three stay here and watch those two.  I'll deal with this matter on my own so no one do anything.  Understand?"

                "Loud and clear." Demo acknowledged.

                "All of you?" Draco said sternly, glaring at Thrax.

                "Yes." Thrax replied.

                "Good."

                Draco then stormed out of the room.                

                "I think you made her mad Thrax." Demo said.

                "Me?" Thrax said innocently.

                "Yeah you?"

                "Now how did I do that?"

                "You pushed the FPD to make a move that we couldn't see.  That's what you did."

                "I, uhh, damn, I guess I did, didn't I?"

                "Yeah.  Look, Thrax, there's something that you need to understand about us before you decide to give another order."

                "I'm listening Demo.  Spill it."

                "Stryker Team Alpha and its members mean a lot to Draco.  To Draco, we are her family.  She loves every one of us like brothers and we love her like a sister.  If anything happens to one of us, she takes it hard.  Can you understand that?"

                "Yeah Demo, I can."

                "Great.  Now all you have to do is apologize to her."

                "You do understand that I'm not good with apologies?"

                "Well you're going to have to get good at them, and fast too.  Keep in mind Thrax that although she's mad at you, she still loves you.  Try using that to your advantage."

                "Okay. Oh and Demo."

                "Yes?"

                "Thanks."

                "No problem."

Elevators 5:37 PM

                "Aw shit." Ozzie said aloud.  "Drix, call for the EMRs!"

                "Gotcha Jones."

                Osmosis pulled his walkie out of his pocket and hailed The Chief.  "Yo Chief, you there?"

                "Yeah, I'm here.  What's going on Jones?"

                "Well Chief, we've lost at least three of our teams.  Most of them are dead but some are injured.  Drix is sending for the EMRs now."

                "Did we get through?"

                "Yeah, we blew ourselves an entrance way."

                "Great.  I'm going to send three more Special Forces teams down to your location.  Don't move in until we see how Thrax and the other viruses react to our actions."

                "Copy that Chief."

                "How'd we lose those three teams?"

                "I dunno.  There was a big explosion that ripped through three to the elevator shafts.  After the EMRs clear out the bodies, do you want me to send in the Bomb Squad to check out what caused the explosion?"

                "Yes.  That's a good idea but make sure that no one is up at the top of the shaft before you do it.  Got it Jones?"

                "Yeah I got.  Osmosis Jones over an out." Ozzie said, turning off his walkie and putting it back into his pocket.

Sector 5- Office Block and Temporary Infirmary 5:40 PM 

                When Draco burst into this section of Sector 5, she was greeted by Rip and Spike.

                "Rip, Spike, where's Zen?  How is he?  Is he going to be okay?" Draco said with a hint of worry.

                "Whoa, slow it down commander." Rip replied.

                "Sorry."

                "It's okay." 

                "Zen is doing well and he is going to be fine." Spike said reassuringly.  "Rip and I managed to save his eye.  He won't be able to see out of it until we take the bandage off in another few hours.  As for his arm, it'll be in a sling for a few days but it should heal just fine."

                "That's good to hear.  Can I see him?"

                "Yeah." Rip said, leading Draco to one of the larger offices.  

                When Draco entered, she saw Zen lying on a couch on the other side of the room.  There was bandage on his forehead and over his eye.  His arm was also wrapped up in bandages and was currently in a sling.  Rip closed the office door behind Draco.

                "Hey Zen, how ya doing?" Draco asked pulling up a chair beside the couch.

                "I got those bastards for you." He replied with a smile.

                "Who?"

                "The jerks who were climbing up the elevator shafts after they blew them open.  I dropped a grenade down the second shaft.  The blast should have taken out the first second and third shafts."

                "Rip and Spike said you would back to your old self in a few days."

                "Draco." Zen said putting his hand on hers.  Draco closed her fingers around his hand.

                "Yes, Zen?"

                "Don't blame Thrax for what happened to me.  It wasn't his fault."

Draco was silent.

"And don't blame yourself either.  If anyone should be at fault, it's me.  I wasn't paying attention to what was happening around me or in this case, below me.  So in a sense I just got what was coming to me."  Zen said with a chuckle.

"Zen…" 

"No.  Don't try to convince me otherwise.  You and Thrax are the best damn commanding team I've ever seen and I mean it.  I'd follow you to hell if I had too.  This is Thrax's first experience commanding a team in the field so cut him some slack.  You made mistakes as a rookie, in fact, we all did."  Zen took a deep breath and then continued.  "Just try and forgive him."

"I already have Zen.  I already have and you're right, it wasn't his fault."  Draco looked down at the floor.  "I shouldn't have gotten so mad at him."

"I'm going to try and get some rest now commander, you know what to do."

"I do and have a good rest Zen."

Zen waved his hand at Draco in reply as she walked out the door.  After she had left he closed his eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.

****


	10. Retaliation

Chapter 10: Retaliation 

****

                "Rip, Spike!"

                "Yes ma'am?"

                "Do you guys have your sidearm on you?"

                "Yes, we both do." Rip replied.

                "Well I'm going to need to borrow one."

                "You can use mine." Spike said handing Draco his Beretta semi-automatic pistol.

                "Thank you.  Is the magazine full?"

                "Yes, haven't fired a shot." Spike replied.

                "Great." Draco said walking over to where the hostages were gathered.  "I need five off you."

                Draco pointed to five of the hostages and ordered them to get up.  

                "Put your hands behind your heads and walk towards and then into The Mayor's office."

                All of the hostages did as they were ordered.  When they arrived inside the office, Draco made them sit against the wall.

                "Xion!"

                "Yes commander?"

                "Put The Chief on the line, we need to talk."

                "You got it Drac."

Command Tent 5:45 PM

                When the telephone in the command tent rang The Chief picked it up immediately, knowing already who it would be.

                "Hello Black Dragon." He said into the receiver.

                "Enough with the theatrics.  You may call me by my real name now."

                "And what might that be?"

                "Draco."

                "Okay Draco, why do I have the pleasure of your call?"

                "Tell one of the NNN choppers to point their camera toward the windows in Tom Colonic's office.  I would advise you to turn on your television." Draco said, cutting off the communication.

                The Chief immediately turned on the TV set and then called the nearest NNN chopper and relayed Draco's directions to it.  The Chief, as well as the others who were in the tent, pulled up a chair and watched the news.

Mayor's Office 5:49 PM

                "Let's go." Draco said waving her gun at the hostages.  

The terrified hostages got up and followed Draco to the window.  She opened the blinds, saw the helicopter and then opened the window.

"Demo, Xion, keep a gun on them." Draco ordered.

From the TV in the command tent, The Chief could see a virus, which was the same species as Thrax but had long black hair and green eyes.  He guessed that this must be Draco.

Draco grabbed the first hostage and put him in front of her.  The she spoke.  "You cops have made a large error.  By destroying the elevators, you have injured one of my men.  I can easily say that I am not happy.  For this, you must pay the price."

Draco put the pistol to the cell's head.  

"This cell a husband and a father to two children." Draco said pulling the trigger of the pistol.  The cell died instantly and then fell off the window ledge.  Draco then grabbed a second cell from behind her and held the pistol to her head.

"This one is a loving single mother to three children." Draco then pulled the trigger off the pistol.  The cell died and fell off the window ledge.

The process was the same for the other three hostages.  Each time Draco announced who these cells were to their families, shot them and watched the bodies fall.  The third cell was engaged to lovely young woman.  The fourth cell was a single father of one.  The fifth and final cell was a father of three, grandfather of two.  He was also married.  Through out this whole process, Draco's expression did not change.

"The current hostage total is now 17.  Pray that it does not drop any further.  I send my condolences to the families, these five just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." Draco said turning around and walking back inside.

Inside the NNN Chopper 5:55 PM

                "See if you can get in closer.  I want to try and get a shot of the inside of the room." The NNN reporter said to the pilot. 

                "Sure thing." The pilot said, flying in closer.

                "Hey, look at that short guy in there!"

                "You mean the one with the red braid?"

                "Yeah, he looks like a shrimpy little guy.  Too shrimpy to have helped pull off this takeover." The reporter observed.

Mayor's Office 5:56 PM

                "SHRIMPY!" Demo screamed.

                Xion had been monitoring the conversations between helicopters and inside them as well.  As Demo walked by, he heard this conversation going in inside the NNN helicopter.

                "HOW DARE THEY CALL ME A SHRIMP!  I AM NOT LITTLE!" He shouted.  Demo looked absolutely furious as he stamped about the room.  "I'll fix their little red wagons."

                Demo walked over to where he set his duffel bag and pulled out several boxes.  He opened them and started assembling a very large weapon, even for tall people.  The weapon was a modified version of a Fusion Rocket Launcher.  Demo loaded the rocket launcher and walked over to the open window.  

                "I'LL SHOW THOSE ASSHOLES WHO'S LITTLE!" Demo's eyes were wide with anger as he lined up his shot.  In the background, Draco was watching Demo with a smile on her face.

                It took a few seconds for the launcher to lock on the chopper but when it had, Demo wasted no time pulling the trigger.  "EAT THIS!" he yelled at the chopper.

                After Demo pulled the trigger, a very large rocket began to hurdle towards the NNN helicopter.  There were screams from the two cells inside as the rocket impacted, caused the chopper to explode into a ball of fire, which rained from the sky.

                In his rage, Demo locked on to one target after another.  He didn't stop until nearly every helicopter was out of the sky.  When he was done, he stood up and gazed at the many balls of fire falling from the sky.  Demo was breathing heavily, his eyes wide and his hair was all messed up.

                "THAT'LL TEACH YOU TO CALL ME SHORT YOU DAMN ASSLICKS!  HOW'S THAT FOR OVERKILL YOU BASTARDS!!!!" He shouted at the sky.

                "Demo, chill man." Xion said looking up from his computer screen.  "You can close the window too."

                Demo took a moment to regain himself and then he closed the window and packed up his rocket launcher.

                "Nice job Demo." Draco complimented.  "I thought that this operation could use a fireworks show."

                "Thank you very much commander." Demo replied.

                Thrax got up off the couch and walked over to Draco.

                "Draco, there's something that I have to tell you baby." Thrax said, scratching the back of his head.

                "I'm listening."

                "I'm… I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to-" Draco stopped Thrax in mid-sentence by bringing her finger to his lips.

                "I know.  I know.  We all make mistakes, especially in the commanding business.  It's okay; I've made even bigger ones as a rookie.  Compared to mine, yours looks like nothing." Draco said, giving Thrax a kiss on the cheek.

                "Thanks baby."

                Draco smiled and turned to face Xion.

                "Xion, put The Chief on the line."

                "Sure thing."

Command Tent 6:05 PM

                "Hello Draco."

                "Hello Chief.  Did you enjoy the show?"

                "Did anyone ever tell you that you're a psychopath?"

                "I try."

                "I'm glad that you called.  I wanted to negotiate for the release of the other 17 hostages."

                "You would only get 15.  We're hanging on to Clonic and Leah for a while."

                "But would you be willing to release them?"

                "Yes, I would actually considering we don't have any use for them at the moment unless you want another performance?"

                "No I don't."

                "You disappoint me.  If we release the other 15 hostages, you have to promise me that you won't try anything else."

                "Fine, but we only acted because Thrax pushed us too."

                "I know.  My men will lead the hostages to the elevators."

                "I will have a team waiting to pick them up at the top of the elevator shafts."

                "Very well.  There will be no shooting of your or my men during that process, understood?"

                "Yes, but how do I know that you'll keep your promise?"

                "You don't Chief.  However, I have the same doubt about you.  I don't know if you will keep yours or not so, the feeling is mutual.  The hostages will be escorted to the elevators in ten minutes.  Have your men waiting."  

                The Chief hung up the receiver and called Ozzie on his walkie.

Elevators 6:06 PM

                "Yeah Chief?"

                "Ozzie, I want you to send in the four Special Forces teams now."

                "Why?"

                "Draco is going to release the 15 office workers being held hostage.  I'm sorry Jones but she wouldn't release Leah or Tom Clonic."

                There was silence from Osmosis.

                "Jones?"

                "Yeah, I'm listenin."

                "Did the Bomb Squad ever figure out what caused the explosion and killed those other Special Forces teams?"

                "Yeah they did.  The Bomb Squad guy said that it was caused by a hand grenade, military grade."

                "Oh.  Okay.  The hostages are going to be escorted by some of Draco's men.  There will be no shooting at them at all during this time."

                "Sure.  No shooting."

                "No shooting until all of the hostages are downstairs and out of harms way."

                "Okay, when will they be delivering them?"

                "At 6:15."

                "I'll get the teams in position."

                "Good.  Radio back to me when we have all of the hostages."

                "Gotcha Chief." Osmosis said, turning off his walkie.  "You had better watch out you viral sons of bitches because we'll be coming for you very shortly."

Mayor's Office 6:09 PM

                "You're not serious about releasing the hostages are you commander?" Demo asked.

                "I am Demo.  I am."

                "Any reason why?"

                "Bait." She answered.  "We need bait to lure in the cops and the hostages will do the job perfectly.  We'll eliminate the rest of the Special Forces teams and then-"

                "We'll move in for the kill." Thrax said from the couch. 

                "Exactly.  Demo, do you have the detonator for the RADIA bomb and the C4 for the door between Sectors 1 and 2?"

                "Yes, I do commander." Demo replied, opening one of his vest pockets and pulling out the detonator.

                "What's the RADIA bomb set for?"

                "It'll take out anything between the door and the elevators." Demo replied, handing Draco the remote.

                "Perfect." Draco replied, walking over to Xion.  "Xion, could you put the feed from the camera in Sector One on to that TV screen over there?"

                "Sure." Xion replied and began typing on his computer.

                Draco sat down next to Thrax on the couch after the large TV monitor in the front of the room came on.  Draco handed Thrax the remote.

                "When the hostages and their teams are in position and when the rest of our team is in the safety zone, hit that button." Draco said pointing to the green button on the right side of the controller.

                "No problem baby."

                "Xion." Draco said.

                "Yes?"

                "Contact Diego and tell him to fall back to Sector 4."

                "Roger that commander."

                "Afterwards call Rip and Spike and have them escort the hostages to Sector 1.  I'll call Raven and Shade and tell them to bring us some popcorn because this'll be one hell of a show."

Sector 1, Elevators 6:15 PM

                Draco had kept her promise as she said she would.  All 15 of the office workers had been brought to the elevators in Sector 1.  There was great tension between the group of Special Forces officers and the two members of the Stryker team.  

                From the Special Forces officer's point of view what they saw was two very large and muscular viruses holding Heavy Machine Guns standing behind the hostages as they walked towards them.

                From Rip and Spike's point of view, all they saw was a very large group of small, weak looking cells holding handguns and a few automatic weapons.

                When the hostages were all behind the Special Forces teams, Rip and Spike made a hasty retreat into Sector 2 and a sprint toward Sector 3.  The Special Forces teams had no idea what was about to happen to them.

Mayor's Office 6:17 PM

                "And as the innocent hostages ran from their captors the order was given to put them all to death.  May they all burn in hell." Thrax said, pressing the green button on the detonator and putting some popcorn from the bowl in between him and Draco into his mouth. 

                From the TV screen, they could hear the screams from the hostages and the Special Forces teams as the RADIA bomb and C4 went off and they were engulfed in a wave of flames.  All of the bodies were incinerated on contact.

                "Yeah!  Burn baby, burn!" Raven shouted from his position on the floor.

                "Take that you stupid bastards!  Haha!" Shade yelled, raising his hand into the air.  "That'll teach them to mess with Stryker!"

                On the couch above Raven and Shade, Draco and Thrax were laughing together and trying not to choke on their popcorn.

                Demo and Xion were also laughing.

                Leah and Tom Clonic were in shock.  Neither of them understood how anyone could have fun doing something like this.

                "How can you possibly have so much fun killing people?" The Mayor asked, leaping out of his chair.

                The laughter stopped and the eyes of Stryker were fixed on Tom Clonic.

                "It's easy." Thrax replied.  "And trust me, it's not as much fun unless you do it yourself."

                "You're all crazy!" The Mayor yelled. "Crazy!  Insane!  Psychotic!  Wacko!  Nuts!"

                "And you're point is?" Thrax asked.

                "I can't believe you viruses!" The Mayor rambled, beginning to go a little crazy himself.  "You all should be put away in a mental institution!  You're a burden to the microscopic world!  You're all crazy and I'm stuck in a room with you!"

                The Mayor kept on going on and on and wouldn't shut up.  Thrax rolled his eyes, got up off the couch and walked over to The Mayor who was now pacing behind his desk, still rambling.

                "Mr. Mayor, it would be in your best interests to be quiet." he snarled.

                The Mayor didn't be quiet; he just kept on rambling and was now pacing faster.  Thrax's anger was building.

                "I said SHUT UP!!!!!" Thrax yelled, swinging a wild punch at Tom Clonic.  The punch connected with Clonic's face and he was knocked out.  Clonic's unconscious body fell to the floor with a thud.

                "Tom!" Leah shouted as she came running towards him.

                "I told him to shut up." Thrax said walking to the TV screen and standing in front of it.  "I think that it's time for us to finish the job.  The police aren't going to remain idle for long after our last move."

                "Right, I'll signal for the helicopters." Draco said getting on her headset.

                "Xion, tell Diego, Rip and Spike to come up to the office with Zen.  I'm heading for the hypothalamus.  I've got some unfinished work to do." Thrax said with a sneer.

                "You got it Thrax." Xion replied.

                "Thrax." Draco said.

                "Yes baby?"

                "The choppers are on their way. They'll be here in 30 minutes.  Finish what you started by then."  There was a pause.  "We won't wait that long if you're late."

                "I understand." Thrax said, walking over to Draco and giving her a kiss on the forehead.  "I won't be late."

                "Do you promise?"

                "Yeah baby, I promise." Thrax said as he left the room.

                "Xion, Demo, pack up and be ready to go in 30 minutes."

                "Yes commander!" They said in unison, giving Draco a salute.

                "As for you Miss Leah, I'm going to need you to step away from The Mayor.  I need him to help get the ball rolling." Draco said with a sneer, pointing Spike's pistol at her head.  She reluctantly moved away.  

                Draco then picked up The Mayer and slung him over her shoulder like sack.

                "I'll meet you boys back here in about 20 minutes." Draco said as she began to walk out the door.  "Brief the others on the situation when they arrive."

                Xion gave Draco a thumbs up.

                "And now for my greatest performance." Draco said to herself as she made her way to Sector 1.


	11. End Game

Chapter 11: End Game 

****

Elevators 6:39 PM

                Osmosis Jones had just got off the phone with The Chief.  After telling him the news about the hostages, he was furious and cussing up a storm.  The Chief's orders were to act now.  He was sending in six more Special Forces teams and this time Osmosis would finally get the action that he was looking for.  The Chief had ordered Ozzie to lead the assault on the viruses or terrorists as Ozzie referred to them.  To him, they were no different from one another.  For both him and The Chief, killing off the rest of the hostages, save for Leah and The Mayor, was the last straw.  They were both tired of the games that had been played with them and for Osmosis, it was time to kick some ass and take some names.

                After the six Special Forces teams had arrived, Osmosis gave them a briefing on the situation and a pep talk which basically consisted of the popular concepts of "taking no prisoners" and "bringing their sorry asses to justice, the hard way" as Ozzie had put it.  They were about to begin their ascent into the unknown when a dark figure dropped from the remnants of the second elevator shaft.  The figure was the one that Ozzie had seen on the news killing off those five innocent cells.  He knew that this figure was none other than Draco, one of the causes behind this whole mess.  In front of Draco was a now conscious Mayor.  His eyes were wide in terror and he had a gun pointed to his head.  Draco was grinning.

                "So, you must be the great Osmosis Jones." She noted.

                Ozzie stepped forward and drew his gun.  All of the Special Forces officers who were behind Ozzie had their weapons drawn and pointing at Draco.  Drix was also among the group.

                "It's nice to finally meet you.  Thrax has told me so much about you Jones and any enemy of Thrax is an enemy of mine."

                "Drop The Mayor!" Osmosis shouted in his toughest sounding cop voice.

                "Why, so you can shoot me?"

                "No, so I can arrest you."

                "Well that's not much better.  I'd rather be shot then be taken into custody." Draco said with a cynical laugh.

                "I said drop him!" Osmosis shouted again.

                "Make me.  Oh wait, you can't.  If you try and shoot me you might shoot The Mayor and we wouldn't want the man in charge of The City of Frank to die, now would we?"

                Osmosis pulled back on the trigger of his gun.

                "I wouldn't do that Jones, you're making me nervous and when I'm nervous my trigger finger develops a mind of it's own."  

Draco's pistol clicked as the bullet got ready to fire from the barrel and into the Mayor's head.  Draco put some pressure on the trigger of the pistol.

"I'd advise you to put down your weapons, now!" She screamed.

The teams looked at Ozzie.  Ozzie looked at the team and then at Drix.  He sighed as he eased his finger off the trigger and placed his gun on the floor.  The Special Forces teams did the same as well.  Drix lowered his arm.

"There, are you happy now?  Could you please give us The Mayor back?"

"Let me think about it for a second." Draco said grinning.  Draco squeezed the trigger of the pistol and a shoot discharged into Tom Clonic's head, killing him instantly.  "I thought about it."

The Mayor's body dropped to the floor and his blood pooled around his head.  

"No!" Ozzie shouted as he went to pick up his gun.

Before Osmosis and the Special Forces teams could do anything, Draco was emptying her magazine by firing shot after shot into the heads of the Special Forces officers.  They were all dead before she was able to totally empty the magazine.

"What a pity.  They didn't even put up a fight."

In response, Osmosis fired a shot of his gun at Draco.  Draco saw it coming and moved out of the way only to have her entire left arm iced by a shot fired form Drix.

"Damn it!" She yelled looking over at her arm.  "You'll pay for that.  Catch me if you can assholes!"

Draco jumped back up into the second elevator shaft.  

"Let's get her partner." Osmosis said to Drix.

"Right Oz." Drix replied, reloading his weapon.

Osmosis Jones and Drix followed Draco up the shaft.  When they got to the top, they saw a trail of water leading through the door at the end of the hallway.

"Where do you think she's headed Jones?"

"The Hypothalamus Gland." Osmosis replied as he ran through the door.

Hypothalamus Gland 6:50 PM

                "I've missed you baby." Thrax said as he removed a small DNA bead from the spinning double helix in the center of the room and added it to his collection.

                "Thrax!" Draco yelled running into the room.  "You're going to have company in a few minutes.  Jones and that pill are coming here."

                "Did you kill The Mayor?"

                "Yeah, and I killed the rest of the Special Forces officers.  I'll see you at the choppers in ten minutes." Draco said heading toward the exit.

                She felt Thrax grab her from behind.  She spun around to face him.  He pulled her in close and they passionately kissed.

                "I'll see you in ten." Thrax said, letting go of Draco.

                "I love you baby." Draco said walking out the door.

                "I love you too Draco!" He yelled.  "I love you too."

                "THRAX!" A voice from behind yelled.

                Thrax turned around.  When he saw Jones an evil expression spread over his face.  "Hello Jones.  It's nice to see you again.  Did you come back to finish what we started?"

                "Drix, go on ahead and try and stop Draco."

                "Sure Jones.  I'll see if Leah's okay too."

"Thanks man."

Drix smiled as he exited through the door that would eventually lead him to The Mayor's office.

"Hand over the bracelet Thrax."

"Over my dead body."

"I killed you once and I can sure as hell do it again!" Ozzie yelled throwing punch at Thrax.

Thrax dodged it and counterattacked with a kick to the stomach that sent Ozzie flying into a nearby wall.  Osmosis Jones got up and charged at Thrax.  The two exchanged punches and kicks and all through out the battle it seemed that Thrax had the upper hand.

Osmosis managed to get Thrax on the ground.  Ozzie leaped on top of him and began punching his face in.

"This one is for The Mayor!" he shouted as he punched Thrax hard in the face.

"This one is for all of the innocent people that you killed!" Osmosis threw another punch that landed hard on Thrax's face.

"But most of all this one's for Leah and Frank!" This punch was the hardest of the three.  Blood flowed from the side of Thrax's mouth and onto the floor.  

Thrax raised his left fist into the air and punched Ozzie in the side.  Osmosis tumbled off Thrax and hit his head on the wall.  Thrax shot up and wiped the blood from his mouth onto the floor.  Then he walked towards Osmosis and kicked him in the stomach and then in the same place that Draco had kicked him when they fought back in Shane.  Osmosis screamed in pain.  Then Thrax just started beating the living shit out of poor Ozzie.  

Thrax picked up Jones and threw him several times into the wall.  After that he tossed him up in the air, punched him, and kicked him into the wall, floor and upper catwalk.  Thrax laughed like a maniac as he continued to beat Ozzie to a bloody pulp.

Mayor's Office 6:54 PM

                The helicopters had arrived six minutes early.  The team had already loaded everything into them and were ready to leave, after they finished cleaning up first.

                "Well it's been a blast Leah but part of our job is cleaning up and taking care of witnesses after the mission is over.  And I hate to break it to you but you are a witness.  Good by sweet heart." Demo said pointing his assault rifle at her.  "_Hasta la vista."_

                Suddenly Drix burst into the room and fired a shot at Demo.  The shot hit his hand and the gun, icing them together.  "Shit!" Demo yelled.

                "C'mon Demo!" Draco yelled from inside of one of the choppers.

                Demo jumped into the open door on the transport chopper as Drix got over to Leah.

                "I'm going to get you out of here Leah." Drix said, escorting her out of the room.

                "Boys." Draco said into her headset.  "Open fire!"

                The machine guns on the four attack choppers opened fire on Drix just as he left the room.

                "Damn it!" Draco yelled.  "We missed!"

                "Where's Thrax commander?" Diego asked.

                "He'll be here.  The choppers were early.  Give him the next five minutes to get here and then…" There was sigh from Draco as she spoke into the headset.  "We'll leave."

Hypothalamus 6:57 PM

                "Now Jones, it's time for you to die."  Thrax said retracting his deadly claw.  He was about to stab Ozzie and finally kill him when Drix burst in.

                "Don't move Thrax!" He yelled, firing a shot at Thrax.  Thrax moved out of the way when he heard Drix's voice.  The ice barely missed him, and Ozzie too.  Leah and Drix rushed over to Ozzie.  Thrax ran passed them and out the door to The Mayor's office.  

                "Osmosis?" Leah asked putting her hand on Ozzie's face.

                "Leah?" Ozzie replied, opening his eyes.

                "Jones, you're alright!" She said with relief, hugging him.

                Osmosis Jones struggled to get up.

                "I have to get that bracelet back." He said, picking up his gun.  "Drix, stay here with Leah. I'll be back."

                "Ozzie, Thrax will kill you." She said, grabbing his hand.

                "If I don't go after him, we're all dead."  Osmosis replied giving Leah a kiss.  "I'll be back and wish me luck."

                Osmosis ran out of the room.  A tear ran down one of Leah's cheeks as he left.  She didn't think that she would ever see him again.

Mayor's Office 7:00 PM

                "Draco, we have to go now." Xion said form the co-pilot's seat next to her.  

"I know Xion, I know." She replied.  There were tears forming in her eyes.

Xion put his hand on her shoulder.

"Guys, we're taking off." She ordered into the headset.  The helicopters pulled away from the Mayor's Office.  

Moment's later Thrax arrived at the Mayor's office.  When he looked outside, he heard the sound of helicopter rotors and saw them in the distance.

"Damn it!" He shouted pounding his fist on The Mayor's desk and then walking over to the edge of one of the open windows.  "I'm too late."

"But I'm not." A voice said from behind.  

Thrax knew that the voice had belong to Osmosis Jones but he had no time to react because a shot that Ozzie had fired now drove itself into Thrax's right shoulder.  Osmosis had aimed for Thrax's head/neck area but for some reason, which he still can't figure out, all of his shots seem to pull to the right.  The impact of the bullet and the state of shock that Thrax was in caused Thrax to fall forward and out the window.  In the process Osmosis ran over and grabbed Thrax's bracelet.

"No!!!!!!!!!!" Thrax screamed as he began to fall.

Inside Attack Chopper One 7:03 PM

                "Thrax!" Draco shouted from the cockpit.  "Xion I have to go back for him!"

                "Draco, you can't!  If we go back now we may not make it out of this body alive!"

                "Then I'll go.  Take over Xion."

                "Draco!" Xion yelled as he watched Draco prepare to leap from the chopper.  "You can't do this!"

                "I love him Xion!" She yelled back.

                "I know you do." Xion replied, taking control of the chopper.  "But how will I know you'll come back?"

                "You don't." Draco said, taking her DNA bracelet off her neck and handing it to Xion.  "But now I'll have to come back because you have my bracelet."

                Draco smiled at Xion.

                "Good luck, commander." Xion said.

                "Thanks.  Take care of the team until I get back Xion."

                "I will." Xion said as a tear formed in his eye.

                Draco leapt from the helicopter and glided towards City Hall.  Draco didn't know if she would make it back or not but she knew that that team was in good hands.  Diego would take over if she couldn't return and Stryker Team Alpha would continue to be the dominating force in the microscopic world.  Draco had no doubt about that at all.

City Hall, below The Mayor's Office 7:07 PM

                Thrax had fallen a long way only to land on the hard ground.  He tried to get up but he fell to the ground again.  His shoulder was bleeding profusely and the pain was intense.  He didn't think that he would get out of this one alive, or at least with some pride and dignity.  Thrax heard someone coming up from behind him.  He strained to turn his head to see who it was.  A clawed hand was placed on his shoulder.

                "Draco?" He asked hopefully.

                "I'm not going to leave with out you." She said, turning him over and resting his body in her arms.

                "Draco.  We have to get out of here." Thrax said looking up at her.

                "I know.  Can you stand?"

                "I think so." Using Draco for some temporary support, Thrax got back on his feet.

                "You okay?"

                "Yeah."

                Draco looked a Thrax's wound, which was still bleeding a river of blood.  Draco took the strap that went all the way around her waist off her coat and put if over Thrax's wound like a bandage.

                "Now you're okay.  Lets go find some wheels."

                "Right baby."

                "Stop! Frank PD!" Someone shouted.

                "Shit, we've been spotted." Draco said.

                Draco and Thrax saw some cars parked near some of the tents that had been set up so they decided to make a run for it.  The police followed and they could hear gunshots behind them.  Upon reaching the group of cars, they hopped into the first one that they found, a purple car with blue flames.  Thrax got into the driver's side while Draco got into the passenger's side.  Thrax forced his left arm into the dashboard and the car began to transform into a corvette style car that was black and had red flames.

                Thrax then hit the gas pedal, pushing it down to the floor.

                "Where are we headed?"

                "The uvula.  I've got an idea for an escape plan."

                "Let's go then."

City Hall 7:10 PM

                "Osmosis." The chief said, speaking into the receiver.  "Did you get back the DNA bracelet?"

                "Yeah.  The temperature's just starting to go back down to normal."

                "Great.  What, uh hold on a second Ozzie." The Chief said getting off the phone for a second.  "Jones, your car was that one with the flames on it right?"

                "Yeah, what about my car?"

                "You might want to get you nucleus down here because it appears that Thrax and Draco just stole it."

                "What!  Those two better not have done anything to my baby!" Osmosis yelled.  "I'll be right down!"

                Then the line went dead.

                Moments later Osmosis Jones, Drix and Leah arrived at the Command Tent.

                "Chief, I need to borrow a squad car."

                "Sure Jones." The Chief replied tossing Ozzie the keys to a squad car.

                "Where are they headed?"

                "The uvula."

                "Now why the hell is he going back there?  He already tried escaping from that point before."

                "Yeah and in case you forgot already he succeeded." Drix commented.

                Osmosis Jones put on his sunglasses.  "C'mon Drix.  We've got to viruses to catch."

                Drix and Osmosis got into a squad car and sped off towards the uvula.

The Uvula 7:30 PM

                "Here we are." Thrax said, stepping out of the elevator.

                "Okay, and what's your plan?"

                Thrax replied by pulling out some extra pollen pods from his coat.  "Frank's allergic.  I figure we do what I did last time.  We cause a sneeze and then we glide out."

                "Sounds good."

                "You guys don't know when to quit, do you?" Osmosis Jones said from behind.  "Give it up, you're busted!"

                Thrax turned around to face Ozzie and Drix.  He rolled his eyes at them.

                "Don't YOU guys know when to quit?" 

                "Don't move!  I'm putting you two away for a long time in a place where you can never hurt anyone again."

                "As if we're just going to stand still." Thrax said, ripping open one of the windows.  "You ready Draco?"

                "Ready."

                "Move and I'll ice both your asses!" Osmosis said as Drix stepped forward.

                "Uh Jones."

                "Not now Drix, just get ready to fire."

                "Ozzie.  I don't think we should be standing here."

                "What now man?"

                "Look." Drix said pointing out the window.

                "Shit." Osmosis said when he saw what was coming.  A tidal wave of white liquid had entered Frank's mouth and was now moving toward them.

                Ozzie and Drix bolted toward the elevator.

                "Thrax, why are they running and what's that sound?" Draco asked turning around.   Thrax did the same. 

"Aw fuck!" He screamed as the white liquid, which would later be identified as milk, rushed over them and swept them out of the uvula and down the esophagus.   They clung to each other, screamed and gasped for air as they were flushed down the tube.  When they finally landed in the stomach they swam to the top and took a breath of air.  However, it was the last breath that they would ever get.  They choked and spat blood as their bodies were eaten away by the stomach acid in which they were swimming.  The last thing anyone ever saw of them were two hands reaching out of the surface, their claws locked together in their last effort to survive and in their last expression of undying love for one an other.

The Stomach 8:30 PM

                Immunity force had finished questioning all of the witnesses and had come to one conclusion; both Thrax and Draco were dead.

                "At last, they're finally dead." Leah said, staring into the lake of stomach acid.

                "Finally.  The Red Death will never have another chance to claim the life of another innocent.  We are finally free of that plague forever." Osmosis said, holding Leah close.

                Leah and Osmosis kissed and Drix stared forward from behind them.  The horror was finally over, or so they thought.  From inside the stomach there were two very tiny surviving strands of DNA suspended in the acidic soup just waiting for the right time to replicate and grow…   


End file.
